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&t^c*ir  ^c^>^i/taA^ 


EITHER,  OR, 


-BY- 


RUDOLRH  LEONHART,  A.  M. 


-AUTHOR   OF- 


'Dolores,  "  "The  Children  of  the  Outlaw,"  "Through 

Blood  and  Iron,"  "The  Wild  Rose,"  "The 

Treasure  of  Montezuma,  "  Etc. 


COPYRIGHT  SECURED. 


canton,   ohio. 

Roller   Printing  Co.,   Printers. 

i893- 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  county  to  which  we  beg  the  reader  to  accompany 
us,  bears  the  name  of  Occidentia.  It  is  situated  in  the  West- 
ern Hemisphere,  and  abounds  with  the  most  precious  gifts  of 
Nature.  It  is  traversed  by  mighty  mountain  ranges,  amongst 
which  we  mention  the  Purple,  the  Dogskill,  the  Stony  and 
the  Waterfall  Mountains,  and  watered  by  grand  watercourses, 
amongst  which  the  Muddyfloody  or  Uncle  of  Waters,  the  Dove 
River  and  Shriver's  Run  are  conspicuous.  Grain  of  every 
description,  cotton  and  corn,  cover  its  vast  plains,  while  the 
grape-vine  and  fruit-trees  of  every  kind  adorn  its  slopes.  Oil 
and  gas  stream  from  its  bosom  and  minerals  of  inestimable 
value  are  hidden  in  its  bowels.  It  is  a  confederacy  of  States, 
its  capital  *  *  :;= 

Here,  we  are  interrupted  by  our  readers,  not  in  so  many 
words,  but  by  that  arching  of  the  brows  and  that  knowing 
smile,  so  provoking  to  a  writer  who  flatters  himself  to  com- 
municate something  new.  It  is  no  use  to  proceed  before  we 
have  humored  this  unmistakable  sign  on  the  part  of  our  read- 
ers to  make  themselves  heard,  so  we  yield  them  the  floor  and 
ask  politely,  "Worthy  masters,  amiable  dames,  what  is  it  you 
wish  to  say,  or  to  state  it  more  pointedly,  what  have  you  dis- 
covered? For  your  knowing  smile  surely  means  nothing 
less." 

"Oh,  Mr.  Scribbler,  only  this:  The  country  you  have  so 
eloquently  described,  is  nothing  else  than — " 

"The  United  States  of  North  America,  you  would  say? 
Please  let  us  finish  our  pen  pictures,  and  if  you  then  insist 
upon  having  your  say,  or  rather  your  way,  Ave  cannot  hinder 
you,  but  must  shift  the  consequences  to  your  shoulders.  " 

Its  Capital,  whose  name  is  Patropolis,  contains  some  of 
the  finest  edifices  in  the  world.  Its  monuments  surpass  in 
height  and  grandeur  the  Pyramids  of  Egypt  and  the  Coliseum 
of  Rome.  In  its  legislative  chambers  the  Solons  of  the  land 
meet  to  celebrate  upon  its  weal  or  woe,  as  many  discontented 
voices  whisper ;  but  the  most  wonderful  place  in  its  precincts, 
is  a  little  room  called  the  lobbv,  where  the  Nabobs  of  the  land 


kindly  lend  their  aid  to  the  Solons,  magnetizing  them  with  the 
subtle  stream  emanating  from  their  coffers,  which  solidifies  in 
their  pockets. 

In  this  mighty  country  the  coal  mines  belong  to  private 
corporations,  the  oil  wells  and  basins  to  trusts  and  syndicates, 
which  have  no  heart  and  pitilessly  grind  from  the  poor  their 
slender  means,  to  secure  these  indispensible  necessaries  of 
life.  The  directory  of  every  city  shows  you  dozens  of  million- 
aires, but  thousands  of  poor  working  women,  who  stitch  or 
sew  away  their  lives,  to  keep  soul  and  body  together,  and 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  wretched  beings,  who  either  tramp 
the  country  to  eke  out  a  precarious  existence,  or  rove  the 
streets  of  the  cities  to  solve  the  problem,  where  to 'procure  the 
next  meal.  Corporations  control  the  highways,  levying  at 
pleasure  a  tax  upon  the  industries  of  the  Nation,  and  shape 
the  legislation  of  the  various  States,  to  suit  their  selfish  pur- 
poses. 

Do  3'ou  still  think,  dear  reader,  it  is  the  United  States  of 
North  America  ?  Do  you  recognize  the  features  enumerated 
above  as  characteristic  of  the  Union  ?  If  you  do,  remember 
that  this  is  a  bird  of  your  hatching,  and  that  you  must  be 
responsible  for  the  fledgeling.  As  to  us,  we  close  these  intro- 
ductory remarks,  and  raise  the  curtain  from  scenes,  in  which 
the  noblest  aspirations,  the  grandest  virtues  of  our  race  are 
blended  with  the  most  degrading  vices,  the  most  shameless 
selfishness,  the  despicable  greed  and  the  heartless  indifference 
for  the  welfare  of  the  race  so  characteristic  of  the  age.  If 
these  scenes  shock  you,  dear  reader,  do  not  forget  that  they 
are  not  of  our  own  making,  but  that  you  are,  in  a  measure, 
responsible  for  their  existence,  if  not  by  your  positive  ac- 
tions, at  least  by  your  negative  toleration. 

Do  not  forget  that  History  will,  some  day,  sit  in  judgment 
over  you,  and  say:  "They  saw  these  horrors,  but  indolence, 
indifference  or  cowardice  prevented  them  from  using  their 
strength  and  influence  for  their  removal."  Richly,  indeed, 
shall  we  consider  ourselves  paid  for  this  effort,  if  it  arouse  one 
single  soul  to  the  consciousness  of  its  duty,  to  work  with 
word  and  deed,  with  might  and  main,  for  the  removal  of  the 
spots  which  now  stain  and  deface  the  escutcheon  of  society. 


EITHER,  OR. 


CHAPTER  I. 


A    DREADFUL    SHOCK. 

Turn  over  the  leaves  of  your  memory,  dear  reader,  and 
see  whether  you  can  recollect  some  balmy  summer  afternoon 
followed  in  the  evening  by  a  tempest  whose  violence  shook 
the  earth  to  its  very  depths,  whose  lightnings  blasted  the 
sturdy  oak,  and  whose  torrents  filled  the  streams  to  overflow- 
ing? You  will,  no  doubt,  remember  that  the  charms  of  that 
afternoon  were  doubly  enticing  by  the  subsequent  horrors,  and 
for  that  very  reason,  imprinted  themselves  indelibly  on  your 
memory. 

Man's  soul  life  shows  many  analogous  eases.  To-day  we 
journey  along,  basking  in  the  sunshine  of  happiness,  our 
minds  filled  with  joyous  anticipation  of  coming  bliss.  Our 
buoyant  steps  hardly  feel  the  ground  on  which  they  glide,  and 
our  full  hearts  are  tempted  to  force  our  lips  into  joyous  shouts 
of  rapture,  to  proclaim  to  the  world  that  our  measure  of  con- 
tentment is  full  to  overflowing.  Suddenly  the  dart  descends 
from  a  blue  sky,  rending  our  heart,  and  making  lis  wretched 
in  proportion  to  our  previous  happiness.  Happy  we,  who  es- 
cape with  a  scar,  telling  of  former  beauty,  if  we  have  the 
strength  of  character  necessary  to  extract  a  wholesome  lesson 
from  wormwood  or  to  remodel  our  character.  The  weak,  the 
wavering,  may  sink  under  the  blow,  deserving  the  pity,  not 
the  condemnation  of  their  hardier  brethren. 

It  is  our  sad  task  to  witness  such  a  mental  tempest.  The 
scene  is  the  city  of  Plutopolis  ;  the  season,  summer ;  the  time, 
the  twilight  of  evening.     One  of  the  numerous  railroad  trains 


6  EITHER,  OR. 

which  unload  their  human  freight  daily  in  the  gigantic  city, 
rolls  into  the  depot,  and  as  it  stops,  one  of  the  passengers 
snatches  a  small  valice  from  the  seat,  and  hastily  leaves  the 
car.  As  he  steps  upon  the  platform,  brightly  lit  up  by  electric 
light,  we  sex-  that  the  traveler  is  young,  perhaps  not  older  than 
eighteen.  His  form  is  slender  and  well  knit,  measuring  about 
five  feet  ten.  His  features  are  regular,  and  a  pair  of  keen  steel- 
blue  eyes  gazes  sharply  about.  Light  brown  hair  protrudes 
from  under  a  slouched  hat,  while  the  firmly  lined  mouth  and 
chin  are,  as  yet,  free  from  a  beard  of  any  kind.  His  brows 
are  slightly  arched,  and  the  decisive  step,  the  steady  glance  of 
the  eyes  and  a  certain  resoluteness  of  bearing,  indicate  a  read- 
iness of  purpose,  calculated  to  meet  emergencies  with  steadi- 
ness and  determination. 

The  youth  hurries  to  one  of  the  numerous  doors  of  exit, 
and  gazes  at  the  various  street  cars  which  pass  before  the 
depot  in  every  direction.  At  length  he  spies  the  desired  car, 
and  beckons  to  the  driver  to  stop,  quickening  his  steps  into  a 
run,  until  the  car  is  reached.  He  springs  upon  the  rear  plat- 
form, and  then  entering  the  interior,  drops  into  a  vacant  seat, 
and  abandons  himself  unto  a  train  of  thought  which,  to  judge 
from  the  smile  playing  on  his  lips  and  the  merry  twinkle  of 
his  eyes,  must  be  of  a  joyous  nature. 

For  half  an  hourfhe  pays  no  heed  to  his  surroundings, 
but  when  after  the  expiration  of  that  time,  the  car  reaches  a 
more  thinly  populated  suburb,  he  looks  around  with  lively 
interest,  a  smile  lighting  up  his  face,  and  a  joyous  recognition 
animating  his  features. 

Now  he  rings  the  bell,  and  with  the  disregard  to  danger 
so  common  to  strength  and  agility,  springs  to  the  ground  long 
before  the  phlegmatic  driver  has  stopped  the  car.  The  youth 
runs  rather  than  walks  to  the  sidewalk,  and  knocks  at  the 
door  of  a  modest  but  nevertheless  substantial  cottage.  Then 
he  bends  his  head,  listening  eagerly  for  signs  of  life  within,  his 
features  brightening  all  the  while  and  the  smile  of  anticipa- 
tion  breaking  almost  into  a  chuckle,  as  if  he  meant   to  say: 


EITHER,  OR."  7 

"Won't  they  be  surprised,  the  dear  old  folks?     There   is   a 
footstep?     Now,  we  shall  see." 

The  step  within  is  a  light  one,  as  if  originating  with  a  wo- 
man, a  circumstance  which  does  not  escape  the  youth,  for  his 
lips  move  and  he  whispers  "  Mother  !  "  Now  the  key  turns, 
the  door  is  pulled  back  a  few  inches,  and  an  elderly  woman, 
bearing  a  lamp  in  her  hand,  peers  into  the  darkness  which  is 
fast  settling  over  the  city.  The  youth  is  on  the  point  of  utter- 
ing an  exclamation,  when  the  voice  of  the  woman  startles  him 
and  seals  his  lips.  "Who  is  there,  and  what  do  you  wish?" 
she  inquired  in  tones  which  he  has  never  heard  before.  She 
has  opened  the  door  a  little  farther  and  shows  him  a  face  as 
strange  as  the  voice. 

"  Won't  you  step  in?"  she  resumes,  seeing  his  evident  be- 
wilderment. He  mechanically  obeys,  but  stops  just  inside  the 
door,  saying  in  a  dazed  manner:  "  Beg  pardon,  I  must  have 
made  a  mistake  in  the  house,  and  yet  I  hardly  comprehend 
how  that  was  possible." 

"  Whom  do  you  wish  to  find,  sir?"  said  the  lady  in  a 
friendly  tone  of  voice,  which  youth  and  fairness  are  so  apt  to 
awaken. 

"  Mr.  Woods,  Madam,"  he  answered  mechanically,  for  he 
has  evidently  lost  his  bearings. 

"  Mr.  George  Woods?" 

"  Yes,  Madam,  Mr.  George  Woods." 

"  Then  you  are  not  aware  that  Mr.  Woods  is  dead,  has,  in 
fact,  been  dead  these  three  months?" 

You  have  probably  heard  the  expression  of  the  flash 
of  lightning  from  a  blue  sky,  reader.  The  expression  is  a 
hackneyed  one  and,  moreover,  an  absurdity,  for  there  are  no 
such  flashes ;  still,  you  will  pardon  us  for  borrowing  it  on  this 
occasion.  There  is,  indeed,  no  other  which  will  express  so 
forcibly  the  stunning  effect  which  these  few  words  produced 
upon  the  youth.  Stunned  is  exactly  the  word,  for  only  a  per- 
son stunned  fails  to  betray  the  effect  of  such  a  crushing  blow. 
The  bewilderment  on  his  face  deepened,  and  he  merely  stam- 
mered: "DEAD!  DEAD!    And— and— my— Mrs.  Woods?" 


8  EITHER,  OR. 

"  She,  too,  is  dead,  died  a  week  after  her  husband,"  she  in- 
formed him  in  a  tone  of  indifference,  such  as  we*  assume  when 
we  speak  about  strangers,  or  are  ignorant  of  the  fact  that  we 
plunge  a  dagger  into  the  heart  of  the  listener. 

"  DEAD ! "  he  echoed,  this  time  louder,  as  if  partly 
awakened  to  the  dreadful  disaster  which  had  occurred  in  this 
house  during  his  absence.  At  the  same  time  the  valise  dropped 
from  his  hand,  which  glided  mechanically  over  his  pallid  face. 
The  woman  began  to  comprehend  that  her  words  had  hurt 
the  stranger,  for  a  look  of  apprehension  stole  from  her  eyes 
and  she  said,  with  much  sympathy  in  her  voice,  stepping  a  lit- 
tle nearer  :  "Did  you  know  them,  sir?  Perhaps  they  were 
relatives,  or — good  Heavens  ?  perhaps  you  are  the  son  that — " 

She  did  not  finish,  for  the  stranger  suddenly  wheeled 
round,  and  rushed  from  the  building,  without  heeding  his  bag- 
gage. The  woman  made  a  motion  as  if  to  stop  him,  but 
he  either  failed  to  notice  it,  or  purposely  disregarded  it,  for  he 
shut  the  door  behind  him,  and  with  a  mien  half  stupefied, 
half  dazed,  staggered  away  into  the  darkness.  The  woman 
inside  gazed  at  the  closed  door,  a  picture  of  intense  compassion 
combined  with  uncertainty  as  to  the  best  course  to  pursue. 

"  Poor  lad  !"  she  said  pityingly,  her  eyes  tilling  with  tears; 
"  no  wonder  he  is  distracted  with  grief.  Who  would  not, 
under  like  circumstances?  I  wish  I  could  have  told  him,  for 
I  fear  he  may  do  something  rash  under  the  influence  of  this 
dreadful  news.  And  here  is  his  valise  ;  I  must  go  and  consult 
father,  he  will  probably  know  what  we  had  better  do  in  this 
distressing  case." 

With  this  she  picked  up  the  valise  and  walked  towards 
the  room  from  which  she  had  stepped.  We  will  leave  her  to 
follow  the  wanderer  who  hastened  through  the  night  air  with 
an  ever  increasing  speed,  but  without  any  apparent  aim  or 
purpose.  His  brain  seemed  in  a  whirl,  through  which  only 
one  word  or  rather  conception  reached  the  seat  of  conscious- 
ness, namely,  the  word  DEAD  !  Both  parents  dead;  the  noble 
father  whom  he  had  both  loved  and  respected  as  one  of  the 
best  of  men  ;  his  mother,  the  embodiment  of  everything  good, 


EITHER,  OR.  9 

lovable,  wise  and  inspiring.  Six  months  ago  he  had  left  them 
well,  contented  and  apparently  in  the  midst  of  affluence,  and 
now,  dead;  gone  from  him,  never  to  return  to  the  loving  son, 
whose  heart  nearly  burst  with  a  vague,  but  nevertheless  in- 
tense yearning  for  the  departed.  Is  it  a  wonder  that  he  reeled 
along  the  dimly  lit  streets  like  one  drunk?  That  he  was 
incapable  of  forming  any  connected  idea,  except  that  of  the 
terrible,  irreparable  loss  he  had  sustained?  Now  and  then 
one  of  the  few  persons  he  met  would  stop  and  gaze  after 
the  silent  figure  disapprovingly,  uttering  or  thinking  the  word 
"  drunk."  Several  times  a  policeman  pursuing  his  nightly 
calling,  was  on  the  point  of  arresting  the  steps  of  the  youth ; 
but  a  certain  something  in  the  contracted  brow,  the  vacant 
gaze  of  the  fixed  eyes,  stayed  his  uplifted  hand  and  checked 
the  words  rising  to  his  lips,  and  caused  him  to  content  himself 
with  a  shake  of  the  head  and  a  muttered  remark,  expressing 
his  belief  that  something  must  have  gone  wrong  with  the 
lad. 

It  was  about  eight  when  the  wanderer  started  on  his 
erratic  course.  The  sky  had  been  cloud y  all  afternoon,  but 
now  the  clouds  became  darker  and  denser,  and  about  nine  be- 
gan to  send  down  showers  of  rain.  At  the  same  time  a  fierce 
north  wind  arose,  blowing  the  heavy  drops  into  the  face  of  the 
youth,  who  did  not  seem  merely  indifferent  to,  but  even 
unconscious  of  the  storm.  He  drew  a  deep  breath,  as  if  he 
enjoyed  the  tumult  of  the  elements  without,  as  congenial 
to  the  one  raging  in  his  bseast.  This  enjoyment  was,  however, 
unconscious,  like  everything  else  within  him,  excepting  the 
maddening  thought  of  DEAD  !     Both  dead  ! 

The  storm  increased  in  fury,  the  minutes  grew  into  hours, 
and  the  bell  of  a  distant  church  tolled  the  hour  of  midnight 
without  any  visible  abatement  in  the  speed  of  this  erratic  race. 
Nor  is  it  likely  that  even  the  dawn  of  day  would  have  wit- 
nessed its  cessation,  if  the  inexorable  laws  of  Nature,  in  the 
shape  of  utter  exhaustion,  had  not,  at  last,  arrested  the  steps 
of  the  wanderer.  He  reeled  with  faintness  now,  and  for  the 
first  time  cast  a  conscious  srlance  around  him.     In  the  faint 


io  HITHER.  OR. 

light  of  dawn  he  perceived  that  he  was  in  the  suburbs  of  a  city, 
probably  Plutopolis,  a  fact  he  made  certain  by  reading  the 
name  of  a  railway  station  in  whose  vicinity  he  had  arrested 
his  steps.  It  was,  indeed,  a  suburb  of  Plutopolis,  but  fully 
twelve  miles  from  its  center,  showing  that  he  had  traveled  that 
distance  during  his  reckless  march.  While  yet  reading  the 
name  of  the  station  and  learning  these  facts,  he  heard  the 
rumbling  of  a  train,  which  drew  up  at  the  station  a  minute 
later,  to  accommodate  a  number  of  early  passengers,  plying 
their  vocation  in  the  city. 

Half  mechanically  our  friend  selected  a  ticket,  and  boarding 
a  train,  was  rapidly  whirled  back  to  the  scene  of  the  appall- 
ing discovery  of  last  night.  Bodily  fatigue  now  assumed  the 
friendly  office  of  comforter,  and  when,  half  an  hour  later,  the 
youth  alighted  a  second  time  at  the  depot,  which  had  witness- 
ed the  arrival  of  the  happy  lad,  full  of  joyous  anticipation,  he 
was  more  collected  than  at  any  time  since  his  visit  to  the 
home  of  his  childhood.  Becoming  conscious  of  the  dilapida- 
ted condition  of  his  attire  and  the  wondering  gaze  of  the  pass- 
erby, he  hastily  withdrew  from  the  crowded  thoroughfare,  and 
entering  a  street  car,  was  once  more  taken  into  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  dwelling  at  which  we  saw  him  knock.  This  time 
he  passed  it,  and  entering  a  street  one  block  farther  east,  soon 
knocked  at  the  door  of  a  modest  little  dwelling.  Again  the 
door  was  opened ;  again  a  woman  appeared  on  the  threshold, 
who  uttered  a  cry  of  delight  coupled  with  the  cry  of  "Richard, 
Richard ! "  A  moment  later  the  woman  and  the  weather- 
stained  wanderer  were  enfolded  in  a  close  embrace,  both  parties 
mingling  copious  tears  aud  indulging  in  fervent  exclamations 
of  endearment.  At  last  the  woman  disengaged  herself  and 
said,  her  utterance  half  choked  by  convulsive  sobs  :  "  And 
you  know,  Richard?     You  know,  that — " 

She  did  not  finish,  but  he  answered  nevertheless,  antici- 
pating her  meaning :  "  I  do  know,  Aunt  Laura,  though  I 
cannot  yet  comprehend  the  possibility  of  the  dreadful  fact,  or 
fathom  its  full  meaning.  " 

"  Poor  boy,  "  she  cried  with  a  new  embrace,  and  a  renew- 


EITHER,  OR.  ii 

al  of  her  sobs;  "  but  what  is  this  ?  You  are  wet,  bespattered 
with  mud  from  head  to  foot.     Where  have  you  been  ?  " 

"  I  hardly  know,  Aunt  Laura,  "  he  replied,  with  a  sad  at- 
tempt at  a  smile,  "  when  I  learned  the  news  over  there  last 
night,  I  wandered  off,  anxious  to  flee  from  the  dreadful  con- 
sciousness of  my  bereavement,  and  must  have  walked  about 
all  night,  for,  this  morning,  I  found  myself  at  Elmwood 
Station.  " 

"  Twelve  miles  from  the  city  !  "  she  exclaimed,  "  you 
must  be  tired  and  hungry,  and  I  let  you  stand  out  here,  with- 
out thinking  of  your  condition,  idiot  that  I  am !  Come  in  Rich- 
ard and  change  your  clothes,  while  I  prepare  breakfast.  The 
fire  is  burning,  and  it  won't  take  me  long.  But  where  is  your 
baggage?     Have  you  no  apparel  with  you?" 

"  Let  me  think,  Aunty.  You  see,  I  am  quite  dazed  yet, 
and  have  to  think.  I  surely  had  a  valise  with  me  last  night, 
but  where  I  left  it,  is  more  than  I  can  tell." 

"  Perhaps  you  left  it  at  the  house,  where — " 

"  I  called  last  night,  "  he  completed;  "  perhaps  I  did.  At 
all  events,  I  can  soon  ascertain.  " 

He  was  on  the  point  of  carrying  out  his  design,  when  his 
relative  .stopped  him,  saying:  "  No,  Dick,  you  come  in  and 
take  a  bath,  while  I  run  over  to  find  out.  I  have  hot  water, 
and  you  must  refresh  yourself,  while  I  get  your  things.  Nay. 
do  not  contradict,  my  boy,  for  I  shall  not  allow  you  to  take 
another  step  from  this  cottage  before  you  have  recovered  your 
strength.  " 

With  this  she  led  him  into  the  hall,  and  thence  into  a  room 
where  she  made  him  sit  down.  Next  she  prepared  him  a  bath, 
and  then  said  in  her  motherly  way,  which  seemed  to  soothe 
and  console  him  : 

"  So,  Dick,  everything  is  ready.  Take  off  your  wet  cloth- 
es and  bathe  while  I  am  gone.  That  is  a  good  boy.  Good 
bye,  dear,  I  won't  be  gone  long.  " 

With  this  she  withdrew,  while  he  mechanically  obeyed 
her  injunctions,  removing  his  wet  and  soiled  garments  with 
an  effort,    showing   plainly   that   his   strength    was  well  nigh 


12  EITHER,  OR. 

spent.  The  application  of  the  tepid  water  to  his  weary 
limbs  was  both  soothing  and  refreshing,  but  also  produced 
a  drowsiness  so  overwhelming,  that  he  could  scarcely  keep 
his  eyes  open,  and  might,  indeed,  have  fallen  asleep,  if  a 
knock  at  the  door  had  not  aroused  him  to  a  consciousness  of 
his  condition  and  surroundings. 

"  Dick,  here  is  your  valise,  "  he  heard  his  aunt  say,  "now 
dress,  while  I  get  your  breakfast  ready.  " 

He  received  the  valise  and  managed  to  slip  on  a  dry  suit 
of  clothes.  While  thus  occupied,  he  heard  his  aunt  stir  the 
fire  in  the  neighboring  kitchen  and  set  the  table.  When  he 
had  dressed,  he  walked  drowsily  into  the  kitchen,  where  his 
relative  received  him  with  a  smile,  and  :  "  Ah,  there  you 
are  !  And  here  is  your  breakfast.  Sit  down  and  eat  this  nice 
piece  of  steak;  it  will  restore  your  strength.  " 

He  obeyed  mechanically,  but  she  saw  from  his  motions 
that  he  was  half  asleep ;  so  she  said  encouragingly,  "just  eat  a 
bite  Dick  and  then  you  shall  sleep.  Here,  drink  this  coffee,  it 
is  hot,  and  will  warm  you  up.  " 

She  bustled  about  him,  while  he  obeyed  with  the  readi- 
ness of  a  little  child.  When  he  laid  down  his  knife  and  fork, 
she  resumed,  "  And  that  is  really  all?  Well,  come  then  to  my 
room,  and  lie  down  on  the  bed.  Nevermind  your  shoes,  Dick, 
they  won't  hurt  the  spread.  "  He  threw  himself  on  the  soft 
bed,  and  was  dimly  conscious,  that  she  imprinted  a  kiss  on  his 
brow.  Then  came  deep  and  total  oblivion,  and  with  it  for  a 
while,  the  cessation  of  the  pain  engendered  by  the  crushing 
bereavement  he  had  endured.  Blessed  sleep,  harbinger  of  rest 
and  peace  to  the  mourner  and  the  sufferer !  Well  would  it  be 
for  many  a  mortal,  if  thou  couldst  be  prolonged  into  the  sleep 
of  death  ;  for,  on  thy  departure,  the  throbbing  of  the  temple, 
the  aching  of  the  heart,  the  racking  of  the  brain,  are  apt,  nay 
sure,  to  recommence. 

It  was  dusk,  when  Richard  returned  to  consciousness. 
His  gaze  fell  upon  the  ceiling  above  him,  without  bringing, 
however,  a  comprehension  of  his  situation.  Next  they  fell  up- 
on the  furniture  of  the  room,  and,  at  last,  fastened  themselves 


EITHER,  OR.  13 

upon  the  figure  of  a  woman  who  sat  in  a  rocking  chair  near 
the  window,  plying  a  set  of  knitting  needles  with  both  vigor 
and  skill.  We  may  as  well  seize  this  opportunity  to  introduce 
her  to  our  readers.  Mrs.  L,aura  Kean  was  about  forty-five, 
and  well  preserved  for  her  age.  She  was  a  brunette,  and  her 
dark  brown  hair  showed  very  few  of  those  silver  threads  be- 
tokening the  approach  of  age.  Her  features  were  well-shap- 
ed, without  being  remarkably  handsome.  Her  eyes  were 
large,  and  in  color  and  character,  much  like  those  of  her  neph- 
ew, betraying  the  same  steadfastness  and  intelligence.  Nor 
was  the  firmness  and  determination  of  the  lips  and  chin  lack- 
ing, which  attracted  our  attention  on  our  first  meeting  with 
the  youth.  The  resemblance  would  have  been  more  marked, 
if  the  hair  and  complexion  of  the  youth  had  not  played  more 
into  the  blonde ;  but  even  the  casual  observer  could  hardly 
fail  to  discover,  that  these  two  persons  were  mentally  related, 
both  betraying  similarity  of  tastes,  likings  and  dispositions, 
which  could  not  help  cementing  a  firm  friendship  and  warm 
affection  between  them.  The  gaze  of  the  youth  must  have 
had  magnetic  power,  for  it  had  hardly  dwelled  on  her  a  sec- 
ond, when  she  turned  her  face  in  the  direction  of  her  guest, 
thus  obtaining  the  intelligence  that  he  was  awake.  A  few 
seconds  later  she  stood  at  his  side,  and  looking  lovingly  into 
his  eyes,  said : 

"  Good  evening,  my  lad,  how  do  you  feel  now?" 

"Very  well,  Aunt  Laura,  "he  replied,  rising  energetically 
to  a  sitting  posture.     "  Have  I  slept  long? " 

"  All  day,  Dick.  But  now  come,  supper  is  ready,  and  you 
must  make  up  for  the  failure  which  your  drowsinesss  occas- 
ioned this  morning.  " 

She  took  his  hand,  and  led  him  to  the  kitchen,  where  the 
pair  sat  down  to  a  tempting  meal.  It  was  eaten  in  silence, 
only  interrupted  by  such  remarks  as  the  nature  of  the  occupa- 
tion occasioned.  When  it  was  over,  they  returned  to  the  bed- 
room, and  sat  down,  a  sad  solemnity  stealing  over  their  fea- 
tures. After  a  few  minutes  of  silence  Richard  took  her  hand, 
and  said  in  a  low  but  steady  voice : 


i4  EITHER.  OR. 

"  Now,  Aunt  Laura,  tell  me  all  about  it.  " 
She  looked  at  him  wistfully,  then  said  : 
"  Are  you  strong  enough  to  hear  it,  Dick?  " 
"  As  strong  now  as  I  will  be  to-morrow ;  but  tell  me  Aunt 
is  there  something  shocking — something  dreadful,  besides  the 
mere  sadness  of  their  sudden — I  mean  this  untimely  bereave- 
ment? " 

She  hesitated  a  moment ;  then  giving  his  hand  a  firm 
pressure,  replied :  "  Poor  boy,  I  wish,  oh,  how  I  wish,  I 
could  say  there  is  not.  But,  alas !  there  is.  I  might  be 
tempted  to  conceal  this  feature  of  the  case  from  you,  were  it 
not,  that  your  mother  left  certain  papers  which  I  promised  to 
deliver  into  your  hands.  Besides,  your  sister's — "  She  stop- 
ped, for  she  felt  a  sudden  tremor  passing  over  her  nephew's 
form.  A  deadly  pallor  covered  his  features,  and  he  made  an 
attempt  to  rise,  which  proved  abortive,  for  he  fell  back  at  the 
same  time  gasping  : 

"  Elinor  !  I  never  once  thought  of  her  !  Is  she,  she  too—" 
He  did  not  finish,  but  looked  so  imploringly  at  her,  that  she 
hastened  to  reply  : 

"  Not  dead,  Richard,  not  dead,  thank  heaven,  but — " 
He  breathed  a  deep  sigh  of  relief,  then  said  mechanically: 
"But  what,  Aunty?     She  is  not  here,   I  see.     What   has  be- 
come of  her?     Is  she  in  the  city?     Can't   I  see  her  now,  or 
soon,  at  least? " 

All  these  questions  were  uttered  spasmodically,  and  with 
such  rapidity  that  no  one  could  have  answered  them.  When 
he  had  finished,  Mrs.  Kean  looked  pitifully  at  him,  like  one 
who  is  compelled  to  impart  sad  news  : 

"  I  fear,  you  cannot,  Richard,  for  she  is  not  in  the  city.  " 

"  But  where,  Aunt  Laura,  where?     Do  not  torture  me.  " 

"  I  do  not  know  myself  Richard.  " 

"  Do  not  know?"  he  repeated  in  a  bewildered  manner,  his 
words  conveying  a  silent  reproach.  This  showed  Mrs.  Kean, 
the  necessity  of  dispatch,  and  she  hastened  to  reply  : 

"  Richard,  do  not  think  hard  of  me;   Elinor  is  married.  " 


EITHER,  OR.  15 

"  Married?"  again  he  echoed,  "  married?  Under  the  cir- 
cumstances?    I  do,  I  cannot,  understand." 

"  It  is  hard  to  understand,  but  I  will  endeavor  to  put  it  into 
the  proper  light.  You  know  Elinor  is  not  very — that  is,  she 
has  not  as  much — as  much — "  The  poor  woman  stopped  evi- 
dently afraid  to  hurt  his  feelings. 

"  Prudence,  or  intelligence,  you  mean,"  he  broke  in  im- 
patiently. "  Yes,  I  know.  Aunt  Laura,  but  for  that  very  rea- 
son— "  He  in  turn  hesitated,  for  his  next  word  would  have 
implied  another  reproach.  His  aunt  felt  this,  she  said  earn- 
estly, but  without  acrimony  : 

"  I  should  have  watched  and  guided  her,  you  mean? 
Well,  I  tried,  Richard,  but  if  your  poor  sister  lacks  your  intel- 
ligence, she  resembles  you  at  least  in  the  obstinacy  of  purpose 
which  marked  your  conduct  formerly,  if  it  does  not  now.  " 

A  glance  of  humor  stole  from  his  eyes,  but  he  only  re- 
marked :     "  Go  on,  Aunty.  " 

"Well,  it  happened  in  this  way:  after  the  death  of  your 
parents,  Elinor  came  to  live  with  me.  She  had  hardly  been 
here  a  week,  when  a  family,  consisting  of  mother  and  son, 
moved  into  the  next  house.  The  mother  called  on  me,  and 
was  very  friendly,  but  I  felt  a  repugnance  to  her  from  the 
very  first  moment.  Nor  was  her  son  auj'  more  to  my  liking, 
but  he  was  so  civil  and  courteous  that  I  could  not  well  show 
him  any  rudeness  either  to  him  or  his  mother.  He  managed 
to  become  acquainted  with  Elinor,  and,  although  I  warned 
her  from  the  start,  she  met  his  advances  half  way.  He  was 
handsome,  and  had  the  manner  of  a  gentleman,  qualities  to 
which  Elinor  attaches  undue  importance.  So  the  fellow,  whose 
name  is  Arthur  Roberts,  became  an  open  and  avowed  suitor 
for  your  sister's  hand.  His  conduct  was  upright  and  straight- 
forward, I  must  confess,  although  I  never  ceased,  distrusting 
him  or  warning  her.  One  day  Mrs.  Roberts  called,  and  in  her 
son's  name,  asked  Elinor's  hand  in  marriage.  She  showed  me 
papers  proving  that  the  young  man  is  possessed  of  ample 
means  to  support  a  wife,  and  then  begged  me  to  advocate  her 
son's  cause  with  Elinor.     When    I   declined  this  insinuation, 


16  EITHER,  OR. 

she  politely,  but  positively  asked  permission  to  see  your  sister, 
and  as  Elinor  is  of  age  and  her  own  mistress,  it  would  have 
been  idle  to  refuse.  They  met,  and  an  hour  later  Elinor  in- 
formed me  that  she  had  accepted  Arthur's  proposal,  giving  as 
her  reasons  her  love  for  him  and  her  desire  of  procuring  a 
male  protector.  In  vain  I  remonstrated,  urging  the 
lack  of  sufficient  acquaintance  as  a  cause  for  prudence  and 
caution.  True,  she  promised  to  postpone  the  marriage  day 
sufficiently  to  gain  a  better  insight  into  Arthur's  character, 
but  this  promise  she  broke,  for,  in  one  day,  when  I  returned 
from  after  a  business  visit  to  the  lower  city,  I  found  Elinor 
gone,  leaving  only  a  short  note  in  which  she  informed  me 
that  the  necessity  of  Arthur's  return  to  Lakopolis,  where  he 
pretended  to  work  as  foreman  in  a  factory,  made  the  immedi- 
ate performance  of  the  ceremony  unavoidable.  She  moreover 
stated  that  they  had  been  married  that  very  morning  in  Mrs. 
Robert's  house,  and  would  depart  on  the  noon  train  for  their 
new  home.  She  closed  by  saying  good  bye,  promising  to 
write,  giving  the  name  of  Harter  Bros.,  Printers,  as  the  firm 
for  which  Arthur,  or  as  she  called  him,   her  husband  worked. 

You  may  imagine  my  consternation  at  the  reception  of 
this  news.  Perhaps  it  was  too  late  to  prevent  the  ruin  of  the 
poor  girl,  for  as  such  I  could  not  help  considering  her  rash 
step.  I  hastened  to  the  door  of  Mrs.  Robert's  cottage — it  was 
locked,  and  no  knocking,  however  vigorous,  brought  a  re- 
sponse from  within.  I  hurriedly  called  at  the  next  house  and 
there,  on  my  inquiry,  learned  that  the  Roberts'  had  driven  off 
at  about  12  o'clock  that  morning,  in  company  with  my  niece 
who  seemed  to  be  very  happy.  That  is  the  last  I  heard  of 
poor  Elinor,  my  boy.  " 

"  And  she  did  not    fulfill  her  promise  to  write? " 

"  No,  Richard.  At  all  events,  no  letter  of  hers  ever 
reached  me.  " 

"  And  the  address,  Aunt  Laura.   Did  you  make  use  of  it?" 

"  I  did,  Richard,  but — but — " 

Once  more  she  hesitated  as  if  loth  to   communicate  bad 


EITHER,  OR.  17 

news.  His  anxious,  searching  glance,  however,  was  not  to  be 
resisted;  so  she  continued  : 

"  There  is  no  such  firm  in  Dakopolis,  Richard.  " 

The  ominous  silence  which  followed  proved  to  a  cer- 
tainty that  Richard  comprehended  the  full  import  of  these 
words.  If  the  man  whom  his  sister  had  married  so  rashly  had 
deceived  her  friends  in  this  instance,  was  he  likely  to  be  reli- 
able and  trustworthy  in  other  matters  ?  Was  he  likely  to  keep 
his  marriage  vow,  or — horrible  to  think — had  he  married  her 
at  all?     At  last  he  broke  the  silence  by  saying: 

"  I  must  and  shall  see  into  this,  and  try  to  find  my  sister, 
Aunt  Laura ;  but  now  proceed,  please,  and  end  an  uncertainty 
which  is  well  nigh  unbearable.  How,  when  and  why  did  my 
poor  parents  die?  " 

"How?"  she  echoed,  looking  wistfully  into  vacancy. 
Then,  gasping  for  breath,  and  making  a  desperate  effort  at 
composure,  she  continued  :  "  Your  father  died  with  a  malig- 
nant fever  into  which  the  machination  of  a  fiend  in  human  form 
had  thrown  him.  " 

He  gave  a  violent  start  at  these  words ;  then  he  gazed  at 
her  intently,  as  if  he  feared  a  derangement  of  her  brain.  Tak- 
ing her  hand  in  a  compassionate  manner  he  said,  soothingly  : 
"  Dear  Aunty,  the  recital  of  these  sad  events  is  too  much  for 
you.     Delay  its  continuation  till  tomorrow.  " 

"  You  fear  for  my  reason,  Richard?  And  you  are  truly 
pardonable  for  such  an  assumption,  for  the  idea  is  horrible 
enough,  to  upset  the  strongest  reason.  But  I  am  authorized, 
or  rather  commanded,  to  place  papers  in  your  hand,  which 
substantiate  every  word  I  have  said.  " 

Richard  sat  one  moment  like  one  dazed.  Then  he  rose 
slowly  to  his  feet,  and  asked  in  tones  whose  coldness  contrast- 
ed strangely  with  the  emotions  to  which  he  had  evidently  fal- 
len prey : 

"  His  name,  Aunt  Laura,  his  name  ?  " 

She  shook  her  head  pensively  and  said  :  "  Nay,  learn 
that  from  your  mother's  communications.  I  would  not  have 
said  even  this    much,    if  my    silence    could    have  saved  your 


t8  EITHER,  OR. 

mind  from  such  direful  knowledge,  lor  I  sincerely  doubt  the 
'wisdom  of  awakening  in  your  heart  the  thirst  for  vengeance 
which  will  not  only  mar  your  happiness,  but  may  lead  to  your 
destruction.  I  leave  the  responsibility  with  her  who  enacted 
from  me  the  solemn  promise  to  hand  to  you  a  diary  in  which 
she  has  laid  down  both  her  thoughts  and  a  narrative  of  the 
principal  events  of  her  life.  " 

"  As  you  wish,  Aunt  Laura ;  but  where  is  this  diary  ? " 

"  She  rose,  and  going  to  a  bureau,  took  from  its  upper 
•drawer  a  sealed  package  which  she  laid  into  his  hand  without 
a  word  of  explanation.  The  youth  received  it  reverently  and 
as  he  kissed  the  lines  of  address  penned  by  the  hand  of 
the  dear  mother  who  had  given  him  life,  love  and  guidance, 
veopious  tears  rolled  down  his  cheeks. 

•  Tell  me,  Aunt  Laura,  "  he  then  asked  huskily,  "  did  she 
too  fall  a  prey  to  this — this  fiend?  " 

"  Not  directly,  for  your  mother  was  afflicted  with  heart 
trouble,  as  you  no  doubt  remember,  but  your  father's  sudden 
•death  undoubtedly  hastened  the  paralytic  stroke  which  ended 
her  life. " 

"  What  a  reckoning,  then,  with  the  monster, "  he  said 
calmly,  but  the  stern  glance  darting  from  his  eyes  belied  this 
seeming  tranquility.  Mrs.  Kean  shook  her  head  mournfully 
but  only  remarked  : 

"  Well,  my  boy,  this  bitter  cup  cannot  be  avoided,  the 
sooner  you  empty  it,  the  better.  I  leave  you  with  this  legacy 
trusting  fervently  that  it  may  not  wreck  your  life.  If  you  de- 
sire my  presence  or  counsel,  you  will  find  me  in  the  kitchen." 

CHAPTER  II. 

A  VOICE  FROM   BEVOND  THE  GRAVE. 

When  Mrs.  Keen  left  the  room,  Richard  resumed  his  seat, 
and  gazed  once  more  reverently  and  mournfully  at  the  pack- 
age containing  his  mother's  last  communications,  probably 
coupled  with  requests  and  injunctions  calculated  to  influence 
or  even  shape  his  entire  future  life.  What  would  he  learn 
regarding  her  innermost  thoughts,  the  incidents  of  a  spotless 


EITHER,  OR.  19 

life  ?  Yes  spotless  ;  for  Richard  would  have  affirmed  with  a 
thousand  oaths,  yea,  with  his  life,  that  no  better  woman  than 
his  mother  had  ever  trod  the  earth.  Her  communication,  then 
must  necessarily  be  in  harmony  with  her  virtuous  conduct, 
her  pure  and  spotless  character,  and  he  then  and  there  took 
the  solemn  vow,  that,  whatever  the  requests  or  commands  of 
the  departed  saint  might  be,  he  would  execute  them  faithfully, 
implicitly  and  to  the  fullest  extent  of  his  ability.  After  this 
mental  vow  a  sweet  calmness  filled  his  soul,  and,  after  one 
more  kiss  imprinted  upon  the  address,  Richard  resolutely 
broke  the  seal  and  removed  the  cover. 

The  contents  consisted  of  several  manuscripts  showing 
different  handwritings  belonging,  to  judge  from  the  more  or 
less  faded  writing,  to  different  periods  of  the  past.  There  was 
also  a  sealed  letter  in  his  mother's  handwriting,  addressed  : 
"  To  my  son  Richard,  but  not  to  be  read  until  after  the  peru- 
sal of  the  journal.  "  Conquering  his  natural  longing,  and  lay- 
ing the  letter  reverently  aside,  the  youth  took  the  manuscript 
looking  most  affected  by  age  and  discovered  at  a  glance  that 
he  really  held  in  his  hand  the  pencilings  of  his  grandmother 
whom  he  recollected  only  very  dimly,  as  she  had  died  dur- 
ing his  infancy.  He  opened  the  leaves  and  was  soon  deeply 
engaged  in  perusing  the  incidents  of  an  eventful  life.  We 
would  gladly  make  the  reader  a  participator  in  this  interest- 
ing pastime,  were  it  not  for  the  fact  that  the  full  rendition 
of  the  manuscript  would  greatly  overreach  the  limits  of  this 
narrative,  for  w^hich  reason  we  must  content  ourselves  with 
such  extracts  as  are  calculated  to  throw  light  upon  matter 
necessary  for  a  perfect  comprehension  of  its  contents.  With- 
out further  comments  we  will  let  the  writer  speak  for  herself. 

On  Board  the  Sea  Serpent,  July  20th,  18 — 
A  fair  day.  We  have  just  risen  from  breakfast,  and  as  I 
have  fully  recovered  from  sea  sickness,  I  need  not  say  that  1 
enjoyed  it.  We  are  now  in  the  channel  of  Mozambique,  and 
the  Captain  says  that  we  shall  probably  be  in  Calcutta  in  ten 
or  eleven  days,  provided  everything  goes  well.  How  I  long, 
and    yet   dread,  to  be  there.     Long,  because  India  if  to  be  my 


20  EITHER,  OR. 

future  home,  holding  in  her  lap  all  the  weal  and  woe  of  my 
future  life.  Dread,  because  this  future  is  so  uncertain  ;  because 
I  will  be  compelled  to  leave,  on  our  arrival  in  the  port,  this 
present  asylum  to  face  the  world  ;  a  world  so  strange  ;  a  world 
moreover,  said  to  be  so  cold,  so  cruel.  And  to  meet  it,  I  have 
only  a  few  pounds  in  my  purse  and  a  recommendation  to  a 
lady  whom  I  never  saw,  a  lady  possessed  of  wealth  and  influ- 
ence, but  also  whims  and  caprices  if  the  gossips  are  correct. 
No  wonder,  then,  that  I  dread  the  arrival  in  the  port. 

ii  A.  M. — I  have  just  come  down  from  the  deck,  driven 
away  by  a  strong  gale  and  a  drizzling  rain.  The  Captain  says 
all  indication  point  to  stormy  weather,  a  prospect  by  no  means 
pleasant,  as  it  means  probably  a  renewal  of  seasickness,  if 
nothing  worse.  Indeed  I  even  now  feel  a  choking  sensation 
in  my  breast  and  must  cease  writing. 

July  22nd,  On  Board  the  Water  Sprite. 
What  a  change  since  my  last  writing.  A  shudder  creeps 
over  me,  when  I  think  of  the  experience  of  the  last  two  days. 
My  thoughts  are  so  confused,  my  recollections  so  dim  and  im- 
perfect, that  I  can  give  but  a  very  incomplete  description  of 
the  horrors  through  which  I  have  passed.  Nevertheless  I 
will  try.  About  an  hour  after  I  quit  writing,  the  day  before 
yesterday,  the  gale  developed  into  a  terriffic  storm,  which  soon 
raised  mountain-like  waves  and  tossed  the  Sea  Serpent  about, 
as  if  she  had  been  a  cork.  The  Captain  was  compelled  to 
abandon  our  course  and  run  before  the  storm,  to  avoid  being 
engulfed  by  the  terrible  waves  washing  continually  over  our 
deck  as  long  as  we  pursued  our  course.  I  noticed  that  the 
Captain's  face  was  very  grave,  and  one  of  the  passengers,  a 
gentleman,  informed  us  that  the  Captain  feared  to  encounter 
shoals  and  sand  banks  which  his  chart  showed  to  exist  a  few 
hundred  miles  ahead  of  us.  I  shall  never  forget  the  night 
which  followed.  The  fear  of  a  near  disaster  was  made  worse 
by  the  tortures  inflicted  by  sea  sickness.  Indeed,  so  agoniz- 
ing were  these  tortures  that  even  the  thought  of  death 
lost  its  terror.  At  the  break  of  dawn  I  crept  on  deck  assisted 
by  the  gentleman  I  mention  above.  We  clung  to  the  cables 
of  the  middlemast,  and  gazed  shudderingly  upon  the  rag- 
ing sea  around  us.  What  would  have  been  grand  from  a  se- 
cure point  of  view,  was  now  truly  appalling.  We  had  been 
on  deck  only  a  few  minutes,  when  a  sudden  shock  and  a  tre- 
mendous crash  told  us  that  the  Captain's  fear  had  been  well 
founded  and  that  we  had  indeed  run  upon  shoals,  but  not 
sand-banks,  as  the  charts  indicated,  but  a  rocky  ledge  which 


EITHER,  OR.  21 

soon  stove  in  the  bottom  of  our  vessel.     The  next  wave  lifted 
us  back  into  deep  water,  but  the  mischief  had  been  done,  for 
a  hasty  examination  showed  that  the  water  was  rushing  into 
the  hull,  and  that  we  would  have  to  take  to  the  boats,  if  we 
did  not  wish  to  be  drawn  into  the  vortex.     I  secured  a  little 
traveling  bag,  and  was  placed  into  one  of  the  boats  which  left 
the  steamer  just  in  time  to  avoid  the   suction   of  the  sinking 
vessel.     At  first  we  could  see  the  other  boats  in  our  neighbor- 
hood, but  the  waves  soon  separated  us  from    them,  leaving  us 
uncertain  whether  they  were  still  tossed  about  like  ourselves, 
or  had  been  swallowed  by  the  angry  waters.     I  will  not  dwell 
upon    the  weary  hours  which    followed.     I   expected  every 
moment  to  be  my  last,  indeed,  I   am  even   now   incapable  to 
comprehend  how  we  escaped  the  gigantic  waves  which  wet  us 
to  the  skin  and  threatened  to  engulf  us.     We  had  no  way  of 
reckoning  the  time,  as  our  watches  had  been   disabled  by  the 
water,  but  it  might  have  been   about  noon,   when  the  winds 
began  to  abate,  and  the  waves  to  assume  smaller  proportions. 
Two  hours  later  the  last  trace  of  the  storm  had  disappeared, 
excepting  perhaps  a  deep  and  long  round  swell,   looking  like 
the  last  heavings  of  a  giant  after  a   mighty   effort.     Now  the 
cravings  of  our  nature  made  themselves   felt,   and  everybody 
inquired    for     something   to   eat    and   drink.     Fortunately  a 
small  keg  with  fresh  water  had  been  put  into  the   boat  before 
our  departure  from  the  steamer,  and  from  it  we  now  quenched 
our  burning  thirst.     As  to  victuals,   we  were  less   foTtunate. 
The  accident  had  been  too  sudden  and  overwhelming,   to  per- 
mit of  securing  provision,  and  we  now  looked  at  one  another 
with  the  pallor  apt   to  blanch  the   cheeks  when  a  famine  or 
starvation  threatens   us.     Fortunately  the  horrors  connected 
with  such  privations  were  spared  us,  for  just  then  the  smoke 
of  a  steamer  became  visible  on    the   horizon      For  awhile  we 
wavered  between  hope  and  fear ;  but  the  vessel  continued  to 
come  nearer,  and  at  last  our  signals  of  distress  were  observed 
by  the  crew.     An    hour  later  we  were  taken   on  board   the 
Water  Sprite,  a  fine  steam  yacht  owned  by  Mr.  Harry  Brown, 
and  bound  for  the  same  port  as  the  ill  fated  Sea  Serpent.     We 
were  kindly  treated  by  the  wealthy  owner,  who,   indeed,  did 
everything  to  relieve  our  sufferings  and  supply  the  wants  en- 
gendered by  the  shipwreck.     Mr.  Brown  is  a  man   of  about 
thirty-five,    of   stately    appearance   though    no    remarkable 
beauty.  In  him,  however,  I  recognized  the  truth  of  the  adage 
that   "  Handsome   is  what   handsome    does."      To    me,    the 
only  female  member  of  the  rescued  party,   he  has  been  more 


22  EITHER,  OR. 

than  kind.  Although  unable  to  refurnish  my  wardrobe,  he 
made  his  cook  give  up  such  garments,  as  were  indispensible 
to  my  "  debut  "  on  deck.  He  has  been  very  attentive,  enter- 
taining me  with  a  recital  of  his  numerous  adventures,  and 
driving  away  the  recollection  of  the  recent  horrors  by  his  wit 
and  humor.  Indeed,  were  it  not  that  past  experience  had 
taught  me  wisdom,  I  would  flatter  myself  to  have  made  a  more 
than  casual  impression  upon  the  heart  of  our  host. 

July  24th.  On  Board  the  Water  Sprite. 
I  have  spent  two  very  pleasant  days  since  my  last  writ- 
ing, thanks  to  the  unceasing  kindness  of  my  host  who  spent 
nearly  all  his  leisure  hours,  at  my  side.  My  companions  in 
misfortune  noticed  his  marked  attentions,  and  banter  me  with 
what  they  term,  "  my  conquest.  "  Indeed,  it  takes  all  my 
force  of  will,  and  the  constant  admonition  of  prudence  and 
common  sense,  to  remind  me  of  the  fact,  that  it  is  not  affec- 
tion but  the  wish  to  while  away  a  tedious  hour  which  induc- 
es Mr.  Brown  to  favor  me  with  his  company  and  attention.  He 
is  a  very  fascinating  person,  and  it  requires  all  these  dictates  of 
prudence  to  guard  against  conceiving  more  than  a  mere 
friendship  for  him. 

July  27th.     On  Board  the  Water  Sprite. 

Am  I  dreaming,  or  is  it  really  true  that  I  am  the  happy 
wife  of  an  amiable,  nay  lovable  man?  I  must  sometimes  feel 
myself;  pinch  myself,  to  ascertain  that  I  am  really  awake,  a 
married  woman,  and  the  owner  of  millions,  for  be  it  said  ad- 
ditionally, though  by  no  means  chiefly,  that  my  husband  is 
the  owner  of  vast  riches,  so  vast,  indeed,  that  I  can  hardly 
fathom  their  extent.  And  all  that  came  about  in  this  man- 
ner : 

Yesterday,  Mr.  Brown  was  with  me  as  usual.  After 
touching  on  various  subjects,  he  began  to  give  me  a  short 
history  of  his  lile.  He  told  me  that  he  is  a  native  of  Occi- 
dentia,  where  he  even  now  possesses  a  large  banking  house, 
managed  for  him  by  a  brother,  with  whom,  however,  he  is  not 
in  great  sympathy.  He  has  been  a  rover  of  the  world,  and 
pretty  well  contented  with  his  lot,  excepting  a  certain  void 
which  he  felt  occasionally,  and  a  yearning  for  domestic  happi- 
ness which  had  been  denied  him.  Looking  at  me  intently,  he 
continued  :  "  Miss  Mary,  never  before  has  this  void  been  so 
marked  as  since  the  day  I  saw  you  first.  Never  before  has  a 
woman  roused  in  me  the  feelings  which  you  have  awakened 
in  my  heart,  and  I  shall  consider  our  meeting  truly  providen- 


EITHER,  OR.  23 

tial,  provided  that  you  can  tell  me  that  you  share  these  feel- 
ings in  a  sufficient  degree,  to  become  my  dear  companion  for 
life.  '  Say,  Maty, '  seizing  my  hand,  '  can  and  will  you  say 
yes.?'  " 

I  felt  a  sensation  of  keen  delight  stealing  over  me,  and  it 
was  merely  the  spirit  of  self-denial  which  caused  me  to  reply  : 
"  But,  Mr.  Brown,  you  hardly  know  me  !  How  do  you  know 
but  I  am  a  mere  adventuress,  unworthy  of  the  love  of  a  good 
man  like  you  ?  " 

"  Tut,  Tut !  You  know  no  more  of  me  than  I  of  you, and  if 
you  pretend  to  have  discovered  some  goodness  in  me,  I  have 
probably  divined  you  by  that  process.  Come  now  and  say 
that  you  will  take  Harry  Brown  with  all  he  is  and  has,  for 
your  loving  husband.  " 

I  have  always  been  one  of  your  impulsive  creatures,  and 
this  manly  open  way  of  courting,  pleased  me.  So  I  laid  all 
false  diffidence  aside,  and  placing  both  my  hands  in  his,  said  : 
"  Mr.  Brown,  I  reply  as  frankly  as  you  asked  ;  I  have  learned 
to  love  you  with  all  my  heart,  and  if  you  really  are  desirous  of 
having  such  an  insignificant  mite  of  a  thing,  I  give  myself  to- 
you  with  all  I  am  and  have,  which  latter  amounts  to  just  five 
pounds,  sixpence.  " 

He  laughed,  then  drew  me  into  his  embrace,  and  kissed 
me,  saying:  "A  formidable  item  indeed,  for  which  I  will 
have  to  give  you  receipt,  provided,  you  will  permit  me  to  in- 
vest it  for  you.  But  now,  rny  dear  girl,  you  must  crown  your 
goodness  to  me  by  consenting  to  become  my  wife  without  de- 
lay. You  see,  I  have  wasted  so  many  years  in  bachelorhood, 
that  I  hate  to  lose  one  more.  We  are  near  the  island  of  Yoko, 
where  a  good  missionary,  with  whom  I  am  acquainted,  is  try- 
ing to  convert  the  thievish  Malayan  inhabitants  to  Christian- 
ity. If  we  run  in,  he  will  only  be  too  happy  to  make  me 
happy  ;  so  be  a  good  girl  and  say  '  Yes.'  " 

What  could  I  do  ?  When  a  man  whom  you  love  asks 
you  to  make  him  happy,  and  the  accomplishment  of  such  a 
favor  is  conducive  to  your  own  felicity,  you  are  not  likely 
to  say  "No."  Nor  did  I  say  no,  and  in  consequence  of  my 
consent  we  steered  toward  Yoko,  which  we  reached  the  eve- 
ning before  last.  On  our  arrival,  Harry  ordered  a  boat  to  take 
us  to  the  only  little  village  which  graces  the  island.  We 
found  Mr.  Swift,  the  missionary,  at  home,  and  on  Harry's  re- 
quest, he  at  once  proceeded  to  tie .  the  knot  which  was  to 
make  us  one  for  the  extent  of  our  earthly  career.  He  re- 
corded our  marriage  in  the  registers  of  his  little  church.  Two 


24  EITHER.  OR. 

of  the  crew  of  the  Water  Sprite  witnessed  the  ceremony.  I 
do  not  now  remember  their  names,  but  this  does  not  matter,  as 
Harry  knows  them,  and  as  we  have  secured  a  certificate  from 
Mr.  Swift.  And  now,  am  I  happy  ?  Happy?  The  name  is 
hardly  intense  enough,  to  express  the  state  of  bliss  in  which  I 
find  myself.  My  pen  fails  to  describe  my  feelings,  so  I  give 
up  the  attempt.  I  hear  Harry's  voice,  so  I  will  quit  for  the 
present,  and  join  him. 

Calcutta,  Aug.  15. — We  have  been  here  over  a  week,  and 
I  have  hardly  time  to  recover  from  the  whirl  of  travel,  the 
moving  into  lodgings,  and  the  round  of  visits.  The  poor 
companion  of  a  month  ago,  and  the  wife  of  Harry  Brown,  the 
millionaire  are  two  very  different  persons  and  visitors  have  pour- 
ed in  upon  us  ;  invitations  by  the  hundred  have  been  receiv- 
ed ;  all  of  them  assuring  us  of  the  infinite  pleasure  it  would 
give  Nabob  So-and-So,  or  Prince-what-you-may-call-him,  to 
see  us  at  his  fete.  I  called  upon  Mrs  S  ,  the  lady^to  whom  I 
had  been  recommended,  and,  finding  her  absent,  left  both  the 
letter  of  introduction  and  my  card.  The  very  next  day  my 
patron  returned  the  call,  overwhelming  me  with  assurances  of 
delight  at  making  my  acquaintance  coupled  with  expressions 
of  regret  that  my  marriage  had  prevented  her  from  proving 
how  correctly  her  friends  in  England  had  judged  her  by  en- 
trusting my  welfare  to  her  keeping.  She  pleaded  earnestlj- 
that  I  would  not  allow  this  marriage  to  interfere  with  the  for- 
mation of  a  cordial  friendship,  closing  with  the  offer  of  initia- 
ting me  into  the  delights  as  well  as  the  mysteries  of  Calcutta 
society. 

All  the  rest  of  the  people  join  in  the  attempt  of  turning 
my  head,  but  thank  heaven,  I  have  sense  enough  to  see  that 
they  worship  Harry's  golden  calf,  and  not  my  humble  self. 
I  tell  him  so  repeatedly,  and  on  such  occasions  he  laughs, 
calls  me  his  sensible  little  wife,  and  declares  that  I  judge 
these  people  too  harshly,  and  that  I  am  indeed  the  best — but 
hush — I  would  have  to  blush,  if  I  put  down  here  all  the  fool- 
ish pet  names  he  calls  me.  And,  am  I  happy  ?  Well,  that 
term  hardly  expresses  my  felicity,  and  I  do  not  exaggerate  in 
saying  that  there  is  not — there  surely  cannot  be — a  happier 
mortal  on  mother  earth. 

It  is  very  hot  here,  but  the  rooms  of  our  suburban  villa 
are  so  large  and  high,  so  shady  and  well  ventilated,  that  I  am 
not  seriously  oppressed  with  the  high  temperature.  Next 
week  we  shall  start  for  the  lower  ranges  of  the  Himalaya 
mountains,  partly  to  escape  the  sickly   influences  of  the  sea- 


EITHER,  OR.  25 

son,  partly  to  visit  a  magnificent  estate  which  Harry  possess- 
es there  and  which  lies  adjacent  to  a  gold  mine  he  owns  in 
that  region. 

April  the  30th,  18— We  are  still  in  Golconda,  as  Harry 
calls  our  Paradise.  I  have  spent  here  the  happiest  months  of 
my  life.  Months  (?)  they  seem  weeks  sharing  with  other  hap- 
py periods ;  the  quality  evanescence.  Still,  the  last  week  I 
have  been  even  happier  than  before,  for  just  seven  days  ago, 
on  a  Sunday  morning,  a  child — a  daughter — was  born  to  me 
— nay  to  us,  for  are  we  not  one,  and  is  not  Harry  really  the 
better  part?  A  nobler  man  surely  never  lived,  and  sometimes  I 
tremble  at  the  thought,  that  so  much  happiness  can  scarcely 
last.  Does  not  the  German  Bard  sing  :  "  Des  Lebens  un- 
genischte  Freude  wird  keineni  Sterflichen  zu  Theil?"  True, 
1  do  not  tremble  at  "  der  Goetter  Neide, "  but  it  seems  to  me 
as  if  humauit3'  could  hardly  endure  such  constant  strain  upon 
the;r  nerve  centers,  and  that  such  continued  felicity  must  act 
upon  our  system  much  as  the  unmixed  oxygen  acts  upon  the 
rabbit,  when  compelled  to  inhale  it, 

It  increases  the  capacity  for  enjoyment,  but  alas  shortens 
its  life.  Still  who  would  not  rather  have  tasted  the  cup  of 
perfect  bliss  and  then  die,  rather  than  live  forever,  in  dull 
apathy  and  a  total  unconsciousness  of  celestial  joy?  I,  for  my 
part,  am  willing  to  bow  to  an}'  decree  of  fate,  however  severe, 
only — let  it  concern  us  both,  for  I  think  I  could  not  give  him 
up. 

*  THREE  YEARS  EATER. 

Paris,  May  20. 
The  gay  metropolis  of  fashion  has  donned  her  spring 
dress,  beautiful  beyond  conception,  for  here  art  has  worked 
upon  the  charms  of  a  lavish  nature,  until  the  combination  is 
well  nigh  perfect.  How  different  from  the  attractions  of  Cal- 
cutta. There  it  is  Nature  who  has  managed  to  conceal  the 
indolence,  the  slovenliness  and  apathy  of  man,  spreading  over 
his  bungling  creations  such  a  profusion  of  flowers,  of  perfume 
and  of  color,  as  to  make  a  tolerably  attractive  picture.  Some- 
times I  long  for  the  charms  of  India,  for  it  was  there  I  found 
my  Harry  and  the  Eden  in  which  only  flowers  have  since 
grown,  to  adorn  my  path.  Still,  the  interests  of  little  Mary 
are  paramount,  and  I  can  see  why  Harry  insisted  upon  raising 
and  educating  her  in  a  temperate  clime  and  among  people  at 
once  polished  and  scholarly.  Paris  certainly  can  claim  these 
accomplishments,  and  we  flatter  ourselves  to  be  able  to  coun- 


26  EITHER,    OR. 

teract  the  frivolity,  levity  and  recklessness  which  the  very  air 
seems  to  breathe  here.  In  fact,  we  can,  and  probably  shall, 
withdraw  from  here,  when  Mary  gets  old  enough  to  be  affected 
by  these  moral  taints.  She  begins  to  prattle  very  charmingly 
in  French,  not  only  with  her  carefully  selected  "bonne,"  but 
with  Harry  and  me  as  well,  for  Harry  has  spent  much  of  his 
life  in  France  and  speaks  the  language  with  ease  and  elegance. 
As  to  myself,  I  now  bless  the  discipline  of  my  school  life,  one 
thought  so  dreary  and  rigid.  When  I  came  here  I  had  no 
facility  of  conversation,  but  the  rules  of  French  grammar,  so 
thoroughly  crammed  into  a  rebellious  memory  in  those  obnox- 
ious days,  have  borne  rich  fruit  now  and  gained  for  me  more 
than  one  compliment  from  the  demoiselles  and  lions,  "comme 
il  faut"  of  the  capital  of  fashion.  As  for  myself,  I  care  little 
for  these  compliments  and  less  for  the  ''societe  recherchee"  of 
this  city.  Indeed,  were  it  not  to  please  Harry,  who  insists  up- 
on an  occasional  offering  at  the  shrine  of  the  gay  world  around 
us,  I  would  bury  myself  in  the  walls  of  the  cottage  which 
holds  my  husband  and  my  child,  i.  (?.,  as  the  treasures  making 
life  worth  living.  True,  I  do  not  despise  the  riches  of  which 
we  are  possessed,  for  they  enable  me  to  raise  my  little  daughter 
in  health  and  comfort,  and  to  adorn  her  mind  with  all  the 
charms  a  thorough  education  can  bestow.  Compare  the  ease 
with  which  Mar}-  picks  up  her  French  with  the  dreary  drudgery 
of  my  school  years.  Yes,  for  her  sake,  and  for  that  of  dear 
Harry,  I  am  glad  of  the  millions  at  our  disposal,  although  at 
times  queer  thoughts  persist  in  crowding  upon  my  mind.  They 
assume  the  shape  of  strange  queries,  such  as  these  :  "Are  we 
really  entitled  to  so  much  wealth  while  millions  slave  to  gain 
a  scanty  livelihood?  True,  we  give  largely  to  the  poor,  but  is 
charity  the  just  thing,  when  the  question  :  "  Are  we  not  all 
brothers  and  sisters,  born  with  equal  rights  and  duties?"  per- 
sists in  staring  us  in  the  face  ?  Harry  laughs  at  me  when  I 
communicate  to  him  such  thoughts  and  scruples,  and  assures 
me  that  no  tears  of  the  oppressed,  no  groans  of  the  wretched 
and  curses  of  the  starving,  clings  to  his  money.  I  know  this 
is  so  ;  but  I  also  know  that  capital  takes  an  undue  share  of  the 
profits  of  labor  which  produces  all  wealth,  and  such  thoughts 
and  doubts  insist  upon  springing  up  in  my  mind,  no  matter 
how  often  I  endeavor  to  banish  them.  Perhaps  it  is  in  this 
way  :  I  pay  my  tribute  to  Nemesis,  who  cannot  endure  to 
see  my  horizon  without  a  single  cloud. 


EITHER,  OR.  27 

:::  *  *  *  FIVK  YEARS    LATEK.  *  :';         :;: 

Vienna,  April  23d,  18 — 
To-day  is  Mary's  birthday,  her  ninth  one,  making  her  age 
eight,  of  course.  How  she  has  grown  within  the  last  years 
physically  and  mentally,  for  it  is  really  true,  what  everybody 
says,  namely,  that  our  Mary  is  a  very  clever  child.  Nor  do 
her  studies  seem  to  interfere  at  all  with  her  bodily  develop- 
ment, a  circumstance  which  I  attribute  to  the  judicious  course 
Harry,  or  rather  we,  pursue  in  imparting  knowledge  to  the 
child.  We  still  adhere  to  the  old  method  of  language  lessons, 
with  this  difference  only,  that  she  now  acquires  the  Teutonic 
tongue  instead  of  French,  which,  however,  is  not  allowed  to  be 
forgotten,  as  an  unbending  rule  makes  it  the  medium  of  con- 
versation at  meal  times.  She  now  rattles  German  as  glibly  as 
French  and  English,  and  pure  German  too,  as  we  have  been 
very  careful  to  secure  a  companion  from  the  North  which 
speaks  the  language  much  more  purely  than  the  South. 
Mary's  birthday  was  the  cause  of  a  little  fete,  to  which  a 
number  of  her  friends  were  invited.  We  took  the  railway  to 
a  neighboring  pleasure  ground,  where  the  little  ones  were  as 
happy  as  the  birds  singing  in  the  trees  above  their  heads. 
Berlin  may  be  more  learned  than  Vienna,  Hannover  speak  a 
more  classic  German  ;  but  Vienna  surpasses  them  both  by  far 
in  the  great. charms  of  ever}-  kind  which  benevolent  nature 
has  spread  over  her  vicinity.  Beautiful  but  thoughtless  Vienna, 
never  shall  I  forget  the  happy  days  I  have  spent  within  thy 
walls.  They  call  thee  "Klein-Paris,"  but  while  thy  children 
resemble  the  Parisians  in  the  love  of  pleasure,  their  gaiety  is 
without  frivolity,  and  their  thoughtlessness  without  levity.  I 
think  with  sorrow  of  the  day  which  will  part  us,  and  yet  I 
must  make  myself  familiar  with  such  thoughts  of  separation, 
for  Harry  thinks,  it  is  about  time,  to  shift  the  scene  for  a  new 
chapter  of  instruction.  This  time  it  will  be  the  sunny  fields 
of  Italy,  where  we  shall  seek  to  pitch  our  tent. 

';:  *  *  TWO    YEARS    LATER. 

Berlin,  September  the  25th. 
East  week  we  arrived  in  this  metropolis  of  militaryjpow- 
er,  the  center  of  politics  of  the  present  age.  It  is  not^for  this 
reason,  however,  that  we  have  entered  its  precincts,  for  Harry 
and  I  are  rather  indifferent  spectators  of  the  political  doings 
of  the  world,   seeking   our  enjoyment,   and  indeed  finding  it, 


28  EITHER.  OR. 

within  the  confines  of  our  little  circle.  Mary  is  now  ten  years 
of  age,  i.  <?.,  just  old  enough  to  enter  seriously  upon  a  less  er- 
ratic course  of  stud}'  than  our  rambling,  though  exceedingly 
pleasant  mode  of  living  was  capable  of  affording.  So  we  have 
sought  the  center  of  learning,  the  city  claiming,  and  certainly 
deserving  the  merit  of  possessing  the  best  schools  of  the 
world.  Harry  and  I  do  not  believe  in  private  tuition,  which, 
in  our  opinion,  begets  a  seclusiveness,  if  not  superciliousness 
much  to  be  condemned.  The  mingling  with  children  of  all 
ranks  and  classes  has  about  the  same  effect  on  a  child,  as  the 
rubbing  of  a  pebble  against  thousands  of  other  pebbles  in  a 
river  bed  It  makes  it  smooth,  rubbing  off  all  the  rough  edges. 
True,  there  is  the  danger  of  moral  contamination,  but  this  we 
hope  to  counteract  by  our  advice,  our  influence  and  our  ex- 
ample. We  cannot  rear  a  Chinese  wall  around  our  little  one, 
and  the  merit  of  innocence  secured  by  such  a  measure,  if 
practicable,  is  more  than  doubtful.  So  we  have  sought  the 
city  which  is  always  "  on  the  Spree,  "  though  its  inhabitants 
pride  themselves  upon  being  highly  sober  people.  Nor  do  I 
doubt  this  in  the  least,  for,  if  I  may  judge  from  the  first  im- 
pression, there  is  an  air  of  reserve,  of  dignity  and  even  cold- 
ness prevailing  here  which  contrasts  strangely  with  the  sunny 
regions  of  Italy,  the  land  of  maccaroni,  lazzeroni,  ciceroni  and 
other  "onies,  "  "too  numerous  to  mention,  "  as  the  auctioneer 
says.  I  liked  it  well  enough,  but  cannot  help  thinking  that 
its  climate  is  apt  to  enervate,  and  to  foster  the  culteof  the  idol 
.so  fervently  worshipped  there,  the  "  Dolce  Far  Niente.  "  In- 
deed, I  fully  agree  with  Harry,  who  thinks  we  would  have 
been  direlect  of  duty,  if  we  had  kept  our  precious  charge  there 
much  longer.  And  now  she  is  to  enter  upon  a  more  serious 
course  of  study.  Do  I  pity  her?  I  hardly  know.  When  I 
think  of  the  dreary  experience  of  my  own  school  days,  I  can- 
not help  a  feeling  of  anxiety  creeping  over  me  ;  but,  then,  the 
circumstances  are  so  different,  the  advantages  in  Mary's  favor 
so  great  and  decided,  that  I  laugh  at  myself  and  quickly  ban- 
ish fears  so  totally  groundless.  Mary  has  much  talent  for 
music,  and  has  already  acquired  considerable  proficiency  on 
the  piano.  Strange  to  say,  the  land  of  song  and  music  no  long- 
er affords  the  best  opportunities  for  gaining  skill  in  that  "art 
divine,"  excepting,  perhaps,  vocal  culture,  which  Mary's  ten- 
der age  forbids.  We  have  already  engaged  a  first-class  teacher 
of  music,  and  to-morrow  Mary  will  take  her  first  lesson.  I 
must  confess  that  I  feel  a  slight  pang  of  jealousy,  as,  in  this 
instance,  I  cannot  aid  him,  being  totally  void,  not  of  love  for 


EITHER,  OR.  29 

music,  but  mechanical  skill  in  its  execution.     Ah,  me  !  why 
can  I  not  be  everything  to  the  dear  child  ? 

*  *  *  *  SIX  YEARS  LATER.  *  *  *  *= 

Calcutta,  October  15th,  18 — . 
What  a  change.  Once  more  I  see  above  me  the  azure  sky 
of  India  ;  see  the  elephants  carry  their  gaily  decorated  houdahs 
from  place  to  place ;  watch  the  swarthy  Hindoo  with  his 
scanty  garments  perform  his  tasks  in  the  broiling  sun,  and 
witness  all  the  other  features  of  an  oriental  and  tropical  city. 
And  yet,  how  different  is  everything  from  the  period  which 
gave  me  my  husband  and  to  us  the  precious  treasure  which 
casts  sunshine  upon  every  minute  of  our  life.  Mary,  sweet 
Mary  !  No  longer  the  child  of  Australia,  Italy,  or  even  Prus- 
sia, but  a  maiden  on  the  verge  of  virgiuhood,  a  sweet  rose-bud 
on  the  point  of  opening  into  the  full  flower,  ready  to  spread 
fragrance  over  the  neighborhood.  They  say  Mary  is  beautiful,, 
but  be  this  as  it  may,  I  feel  confident  that  those  at  least  are 
correct  that  call  her  charming.  I  feel  confident,  moreover,, 
that  her  father's  wealth  has  not  spoiled  her,  for,  though  we 
have  never  denied  her  such  wants  and  wishes  as  were  in  ac- 
cordance with  her  age  and  our  own  views  of  propriety,  she 
has  never  been  allowed  to  squander  money  foolishly.  In  fact,. 
I  doubt  whether  she  has  even  an  approximate  idea  of  her 
father's  wealth.  Besides  the  innocence  of  her  soul,  the  rich- 
ness of  knowledge  and  culture  of  her  mind,  form  her  chief 
attraction.  Her  love,  indeed,  is  copious  and  widely  extended.. 
Besides  speaking  four  languages  fluently  and  correctly,  she 
has  a  profound  knowledge  of  mathematics  and  natural  sciences, 
causing  her  to  despise  the  superficial  gossip  of  the  world,  and 
to  seek  and  covet  the  company  of  persons  genial  in  disposition 
and  capable  of  imparting  knowledge.  Thus  it  is  that  the  at- 
tention naturally  paid  to  an  heiress  of  such  magnitude,  has  had 
no  effect  upon  her.  Fortune  hunters  are  generally  as  varied 
as  they  are  polished.  Both  Harry  and  I  are  highly  gratified 
by  this  good  taste  and  sagacity  of  one  so  young,  although  I 
shall  soon  be  compelled  to  manage  for  a  while,  at  least,  with- 
out Harry's  counsel,  as  he  is  settling  his  affairs  in  this  country 
with  a  view  of  returning  to  Occidentia,  his  native  land.  He 
says :  India  is  not  the  place  for  our  Mary,  the  climate  having 
the  tendency  to  debilitate,  and  her  polished  male  population 
bearing  more  or  less  the  stamp  of  adventurers  or  fortune 
hunters.     In  other  words,  men  among  whom   we  would  not 


30  EITHER,  OR. 

wish  her  to  select  a  husband.     I  do  not  know  how  soon  he  can 
turn  his  estates  into  cash. 

I  have  to  laugh  at  myself  for  wishing  sometimes  he 
might  be  debarred  or  meet  with  obstacles,  at  least,  as  this 
would  prolong  his  stay  with  us.  He  contemplates  starting  be- 
fore us,  to  invest  his  wealth  in  bonds  and  securities  of  various 
nations,  a  design  making  his  visit  to  such  countries  inevitable. 
We  have  gladly  and  cheerfully  volunteered  to  accompany  him 
in  all  his  wanderings,  but  he  thinks  the  fatigue  would  be  det- 
rimental to  both  Mary  and  me,  for  which  reason  he  wishes  us 
to  remain  here  and  await  the  "  sesame  "  which  will  once  more 
unlock  Paradise  for  us,  for,  without  our  father  and  husband, 
Mary  and  I  shall  merely  vegetate. 

Calcutta,  Feb.  12th,  18 — 
My  diary  has  actually  lain  idle  since  the  above  entry. 
Reason :  Harry  left  us  a  few  weeks  later,  and  I  have  not  been 
in  a  mood  to  humor  my  fancies,  much  less  deposit  them  in  the 
bosom  of  this  confidential  friend.  I  now  sit  down,  merely  to 
make  a  few  necessary  statements.  When  Harry  left,  he  took 
with  him  credentials  for  fully  fifty  million  dollars,  leaving 
only  claims  to  the  amount  of  $100,000  in  my  hands  for  collec- 
tion. Before  his  departure  he  said  laughingly  :  "  Mary,  "  mean- 
ing Mary  Sr.,  of  course,  "  here  is  some  pin  money  for  you  and 
the  baby,  out  of  which  you  may  pay  your  passage,  and  buy 
the  few  calico  wrappers  you  two  may  need.  "  The  next  week 
he  took  the  steamer  England,  intending  to  go  by  way  of 
the  Suez  Canal.  The  money  was  paid  to  me  soon  after,  and 
deposited  in  a  reliable  bank,  but  when  a  week  ago,  we  receiv- 
ed papa's  letter  with  the  welcome  mandate  of  "  Come,  "  I 
exchanged  the  cash  for  drafts  on  the  Bank  of  England,  which 
I  have  subsequently  sewed  in  the  waist  of  my  traveling  dress 
for  safe  keeping,  reserving  only  enough  to  defray  the  expense 
of  the  voj-age.  We  shall  go  by  way  of  Capetown,  and  directly  to 
Plutopolis,  the  metropolis  of  Occideutia,  where  Harry's  broth- 
er is  managing  a  banking  house  for  him,  or  rather  for  himself, 
for  Harry  has  never  asked  for  an  account,  although  his  broth- 
er has  not  acted  in  a  brotherly  manner  towards  him.  "  We 
get  along  very  nicely,  "  he  writes,  which  in  a  less  magnani- 
mous mind,  might  be  interpreted  :  "  He  is  the  same  old  coon, 
but  I  do  not  mind  his  tricks.  "  I  wonder  how  I,  or  rather 
Mary  and  I,  shall  like  this  relative.  Of  course,  for  Harry's 
sake  we  would  conceal  our  dislike,  if  he  should  inspire  us  with 
such  feelings.  Dear  me,  I  am  quite  upset,  and  wish  this  jour- 
ney were  safely  oyer,  and  we  once  more  united  with  him  who 


EITHER.  OR.  31 

is  not  only  the  guiding  star,  but  the  joy  of  our  lives.  Well. 
only  a  few  more  days,  and  we  shall  begin  to  make  the  transit. 
May  lucky  stars  guide  our  course. 

Plutopolis,  Sept.  10th,  18 — 
My  journal !  With  trembling  hands  I  open  thy  soiled 
and  briny  pages,  to  read  again  the  last  entry  before  the  begin- 
ning of  that  unlucky  voyage  which  wrecked  our  vessel,  and 
— oh,  merciful  heavens — may  wreck  the  happiness  of  our  lives, 
for  thus  far,  we  have  not  found  the  least  trace  of  Harry. 

I  shudder  at  the  recollection  of  the  fearful  scenes  through 
which  we  have  passed,  and  yet  I  long  to  record  them  here.  Do 
I  touch  here  one  of  the  characteristics  peculiar  to  the  biped, 
called  man  ?  Is  the  desire  to  paint  the  trying  event  of  the  past 
week  akin  to  the  longing  of  the  child  to  listen  to  ghost  stories 
which  make  its  hair  rise  and  cause  one  shudder  after  another 
to  creep  over  its  body  ?  Or  is  it  the  universal  longing  to  gain 
some  confidential  friend,  into  whose  ear  we  can  pour  our  tales 
of  woe  ?  If  it  is  this  longing  which  now  urges  me  to  entrust  to 
my  faithful  diary  the  narrative  of  our  ordeal,  it  must  at  least 
be  confessed  that  the  selection  is  a  proper  one,  for  never  has 
this  friend  upbraided  me  for  any  conceit  my  statements  may 
have  contained ;  never  has  he  distrusted  the  veracity  of  my 
accounts  or  ridiculed  the  nature  of  my  opinions  or  observations. 
Good  friend,  twin  sister  of  my  soul.  Listen,  then,  to  the 
story  of  the  trials  through  which  two  feeble  women  have  been 
compelled  to  pass.  The  first  three  weeks  of  the  voyage  were 
without  any  accidents.  The  Indian  Ocean  was  as  smooth  as  a 
mirror,  while  our  steamer,  the  Albatross,  plowed  its  bosom. 
At  Cape  Town  we  stayed  two  days,  to  give  the  ship  time  to 
take  on  board  a  large  cargo  of  merchandise, 'destined  for  Pluto- 
polis, and  the  passengers,  to  view  the  town  and  its  curiosities. 
By  this  opportunity,  both  Mar)'  and  myself  benefited  exten- 
sively, spending  more  than  half  the  time  allotted  us  on  land. 
On  the  morning  of  the  third  day  we  once  more  steamed  into 
the  sea,  taking  a  northwesterly  course.  Again  everything 
went  on  smoothly,  and  we  flattered  ourselves  with  the  hope 
that  we  would  arrive  at  Plutopolis  without  any  of  those  lesser 
or  greater  mishaps  which  so  frequently  mar  the  pleasures  of 
such  voyages,  when,  just  one  week  ago  to-day,  this  hope 
proved  fallacious,  changing  suddenly  into  dire  and  almost 
hopeless  dispair.  The  day  had  been  fine,  and  the  sun  set  with 
a  splendor,  rare  even  in  that  resplendant  latitude.  We  retired 
with  a  peaceful  mind  and  contented  heart,  and  the  joyous  an- 
ticipation  of  soon   meeting  our  beloved   one  at  the  city  for 


32  EITHER,  OR. 

which  we  were  bound.  What  a  frightful  change  a  few  hours 
later !  It  might  have  been  ten  o'clock,  I  shall  never  know 
for  certain — when  the  cry  of  "  Fire  !  Fire  !"  rang  through  the 
stillness  of  the  night.  At  first  I  thought  it  was  merely  the 
fancy  of  a  horrid  dream,  but  was  soon  undeceived  by  a  loud 
knock  at  the  door  of  our  cabin  and  the  words  :  "  Get  up,  ladies, 
quick  !  the  ship  is  on  fire.  "  Of  course  we  obeyed  with  alacrity 
still  dazed  with  the  suddenness  of  the  revelation,  failing  to  re- 
alize for  quite  a  while  the  full  extent  of  our  peril.  After  dress- 
ing hurriedly,  we  hastened  to  the  deck,  which  was  the  scene  of 
wild  commotion.  The  passengers  looked  like  so  many  fright- 
ened sheep,  huddled  in  heaps  and  groups,  and  the  officers  and 
crew  running  hither  and  thither,  obeying  the  orders  of  the 
captain  and  carrying  out  such  measures  as  he  thought  calcu- 
lated to  save  the  ship.  A  gentleman  belonging  to  the  group 
which  Mary  and  I  had  joined,  informed  us  hurriedly  that  the 
chances  for  such  preservation  were  truly  desperate, as  the  fire 
was  raging  furiously  in  the  engine  room,  and  that  the  danger  of 
an  explosion  of  the  boilers  was  imminent.  For  this  very  reason 
the  steam-pumps  could  not  be  used,  and  the  vessel  would 
probably  soon  refuse  to  obey  the  rudder.  He  advised  us  to 
prepare  for  the  worst,  and  to  put  on  one  of  the  life  preservers 
hanging  in  profusion  about  the  deck.  We  hastened  to  do  so, 
and  both  Mary  and  I  were  soon  in  possession  of  the  article 
mentioned.  Just  then  we  heard  the  captain  order  his  men  to 
prepare  the  life  boats  for  emergencies,  provision  them  with 
water  and  eatables,  and  get  them  ready  for  lowering  into  the 
sea.  Then  an  ominous  hour  followed,  made  almost  unbearable 
by  the  uncertainty  of  our  situation.  The  officers  and  crew 
worked  with  a  will,  now  trying  to  quench  the  flames,  now 
preparing  the  boats  in  case  the  vessel  wTas  doomed.  At  the 
expiration  of  that  period,  we  heard  the  captain  sing  out :  "All 
hands  to  the  boats.  Mr.  Sanders  see  that  the  passengers  are 
properly  divided  in  the  boats.  Use  due  speed,  my  men,  she 
will  hardly  float  fifteen  minutes." 

And  now,  how7  can  I  describe  the  scene  which  followed  ? 
I  must  say  in  praise  of  the  crew  that  they  behaved  with  the 
coolness  and  collectiveness  generally  characterizing  their  pro- 
fession ;  but  the  majority  of  the  passengers  lost  all  their  pres- 
ence of  mind,  and  by  their  screams,  their  inconsiderate  selfish- 
ness and  desperate  motions  and  gestures,  made  the  task  of  the 
crew  a  doubly  difficult  one.  As  to  myself,  I  was  comparatively 
calm,  but  confess  that  it  was  more  the  stupor  of  bewilderment 
than  any  control  I  had  over  my  limbs  and  nerves,  which  caus- 


EITHER,  OR.  33 

ed  my  stillness.  My  daughter,  on  the  other  hand,  was  not 
calm,  but  even  cheerful,  whispering  now  and  then  a  word  of 
encouragement  in  my  ear, or  clasping  me  soothingly  in  her  arms. 
I  do  not  remember,  how  the  mariners  at  last  succeeded  in  em- 
barking the  passengers.  I  know  merely  that  we  were  con- 
ducted to  the  part  of  the  railing  above  the  boats  ready  to  re- 
ceive us.  There  were  five  of  them,  three  of  which  had  been 
filled  and  had  pushed  off,  waiting  for  the  others  to  follow. 
Mary  was  lowered  before  me,  and  I  was  preparing  to  follow, 
when  the  officers  said  with  a  sterness  excusable  under  the  cir- 
cumstances :     "  This  boat  is  full,  take  her  to  the  next !  " 

For  a  moment  I  was  inclined  to  give  up  in  despair,  and 
resist  madly  the  attempt  to  separate  me  from  my  daughter, 
but,  was  it  the  recognition  of  the  impossibility  of  enforcing 
my  wishes,  or  Mary's  sweet  voice  which  bade  me  cheer  and 
submit  to  the  inevitable.  At  all  events,  I  yielded  to  the  hand 
that  pushed  me  forward,  and  soon  found  myself  seated  in  the 
boat  which  filled  rapidly  with  passengers  and  a  due  allotment 
of  mariners  to  manage  it.  A  minute  later  we  pushed  off  join- 
ing the  other  boats  which  lay  in  waiting.  The  Captain  was 
on  board  our  boat  directing  the  movement  of  the  little  flotilla. 
Handing  to  one  of  his  men  a  speaking  trumpet,  he  ordered 
him  to  shout  every  few  seconds  as  a  rallying  signal  for  the 
other  boats,  aiid  then  bade  the  rowers  dip  their  blades.  I  sat 
near  him,  and  overheard  much  of  the  conversation  ensuing  be- 
tween him  and  an  inferior  officer,  from  which  I  learned  the  fol- 
lowing :  We  were  about  five  hundred  miles  from  Plutopolis, 
and  would  have  to  steer  in  a  northwesterly  direction,  to  reach 
the  city.  Such,  however,  was  not  his  intention.  The  strength 
of  the  crew  would  have  hardly  been  equal  to  the  task,  to  say 
nothing  of  the  probability  of  squally  weather  during  so  long  a 
voyage.  He  therefore  resolved  to  steer  for  that  part  of  the 
Atlantic  swarming  with  vessels  of  every  description,  media- 
ting the  commerce  between  Europe  and  Occidentia.  My 
heart  quailed  when  I  heard  him  whispering  to  the  mate,  that 
we  were  unfortunately  full  two  hundred  miles  south  of  this 
watery  highway,  and  that  he  was  rather  fearful  that  the  un- 
reasonableness of  the  passengers  would  give  him  much  con- 
cern and  trouble,  in  case  their  sufferings  should  be  unseason- 
ably prolonged.  All  this  time  I  felt  a  dull  apathy  into  which 
only  now  and  then  the  consciousness  of  our  separation  flashed 
and  wounded  like  a  pointed  dagger.  Outwardly  I  remained 
calm,  eliciting  repeatedly  a  word  of  praise  from  the  captain, 
who  pointed  me  out  as  an  example  to  the  other  passengers. 


34  EITHER,  OR. 

Thus,  on  we  rowed,  the  trumpet  sounding  every  few  seconds 
and  the  forms  of  the  other  boats  just  dimly  visible  in  the 
starry  night. 

An  yet  the  air  was  calm  and  warm,  but  about  one  o'clock 
a  breeze  sprang  up,  which  soon  freshened  into  a  wind,  and 
then  assumed  the  force  of  a  gale.  The  waves  began  to  roll, 
not  high  enough  to  endanger  the  safety  of  our  little  craft,  but 
sufficiently  high  to  make  our  position  exceedingly  uncomfort- 
able. The  passengers  began  to  be  sea-sick,  the  few  children 
amongst  them  crying,  and  the  adults  vomiting  in  such  close 
proximity  to  the  well  as  to  make  the  situation  exceedingly 
disgusting,  To  make  matters  worse,  the  sky  began  to  cloud 
up  and  a  drenching  rain  to  descend.  But  why  dwell  upon  the 
horror  of  that  night?  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  its  hours  seemed 
undeterminable,  and  that  the  first  dawn  of  early  morn  was 
greeted  by  the  wrecked  mariners  with  a  heartiness  rarely 
equaled.  Alas,  the  twilight,  while  ending  the  dreads  of  dark- 
ness, only  brought  to  me  the  horrible  discovery  that  the  other 
boats  had  disappeared  and  that  my  Mary,  my  precious  dar- 
ling, was  floating  far  from  me  on  a  treacherous  element,  only 
too  ready  to  engulf  her  forever.  I  repeat :  "Why  dwell  upon 
the  further  incidents  and  details  of  this  sickening  voyage,  its 
perils,  its  horrors,  its  sickening  stench,  its  tantalizing  uncer- 
tainty will  live  forever  in  my  memory.  "  It  lasted  fully  two 
days,  showers  and  a  dazzling  and  burning  sunshine  alternating 
with  a  cruel  regularity,  these  changes  soon  creating  sickness 
and  physical  suffering,  giving  a  keener  edge  to  the  mental  tor- 
tures to  which  we  were  exposed.  At  length — oh  joy  unspeak- 
able !  we  discerned  the  smoke  of  a  steamer  on  the  distant 
horizon,  a  sight  which  did  not  only  revive  our  hope,  but  lent 
new  strength  to  the  sinews  of  our  weary  mariners,  who  plied 
their  oars  with  renewed  vigor,  to  intercept  the  steamer's 
course.  They  were  successful,  for  four  hours  later,  wre  were 
taken  on  board  the  steamer,  which  proved  to  be  the  Dragon, 
one  of  the  ships  of  a  regular  line  plying  between  Liverpool 
and  Plutopolis.  Unfortunately  she  was  bound  eastward,  ne- 
cessitating an  increase  of  the  distance  from  our  port.  But 
how  insignificant  was  this  inconvenience  when  compared  with 
the  dreadful  uncertainty  of  my  daughter's  fate  which  now7  be- 
gan to  torment  me  with  double  force?  I  shudder  when  I 
think  of  it,  for  I  now  feel,  yea  know,  that  I  was  actually  on 
the  verge  of  insanity  during  the  remainder  of  this  dreadful 
voyage. 

The  day  after  our  rescue  by  the  Dragon,  we  met  another 


EITHER,  OR.  35 

vessel  of  the  same  line  going  west.  The  Captain  signalled 
her  to  stop,  and  after  a  brief  explanation  of  our  case  and 
wishes,  we  were  transferred  and  taken  to  Plutopolis,  where  we 
arrived  the  night  before  last.  Picture  my  excitement  and  my 
delight,  bordering  on  frenzy,  when,  on  entering  the  harbor  and 
passing  a  sailing  vessel  just  arrived,  I  perceived  Mary,  my 
darling  Mary,  standing  on  board  the  latter,  evidently  prepar- 
ing to  disembark.  The  two  vessels  passed  at  a  distance  of 
several  hundred  feet,  but  so  wild  and  piercing  was  the  cry 
which  I  uttered  in  making  this  discovery,  that  Mary  turned  and 
saw  and  recognized  me.  An  hour  later,  we  lay  in  one  another's 
embrace,  experiencing  that  sweet  solace  filling  our  souls,  when 
after  some  trying  ordeal,  we  enter  the  port  of  safety.  Indeedv. 
this  reunion  has  in  a  measure  repaid  us  for  all  our  suffering,, 
and  if  we  only  succeed  in  finding  Harry  soon,  and  in  good 
health,  I  shall  become  reconciled  to  the  terrible  catastrophe  of 
the  past  week,  as  it  has  proved  to  both  of  us  with  renewed 
force  and  vigor,  that  our  three  lives  are  a  unit  indispensible 
for  happiness. 

We  have  engaged  rooms  in  an  up-town  hotel,  and  to-mor- 
row shall  renew  the  search  for  my  husband,  who  can  hardly 
escape  our  vigilance,  as  millionaires  are  not  the  fry  apt  to  be 
lost  in  the  turmoil  of  a  metropolis.  I  wrote  to  Harry  our  in- 
tention of  sailing  with  the  Dragon,  which  accounts  for  his  fail- 
ure to  make  his  appearance,  although  the  papers  gave  a  full 
account  of  the  catastrophe  as  also  our  rescue,  making  it  rather 
strange  that  he  did  not  hurry  tcf  our  abode.  Well,  he  may  be  ab- 
sent on  business  which  brooked  no  delay.  It  is  thus  that 
Mary — ah  !  that  reminds  me,  that  I  have  forgotten  to  record 
how  the  dear  child  fared  after  her  separation  from  me. 

From  what  she  told  me,  her  experience  during  the  night 
was  much  like  my  own.  When,  on  the  arrival  of  early  dawn, 
she  failed  to  perceive  the  boat  containing  me,  she  also  was  seiz- 
ed with  a  feeling  very  similar  to  despair  ;  but  unlike  mine  her 
trials  were  much  shortened  by  the  sight  of  a  trading  vessel 
early  in  the  morning.  It  sailed  under  all  the  canvass  it  could 
muster  ;  but  so  slow  was  its  progress,  that  the  oarsmen  of  the 
boat  found  no  difficulty  in  overtaking  it.  It  proved  to  belong  to 
the  West  India  flotilla  which  carries  the  produceof  Cuba  and  the 
other  Antilles  to  Plutopolis  and  the  manufactories  of  Oeciden- 
tia  to  the  Antilles.  The  Captain  was  a  rough  but  kindhearted 
man,  who  made  his  guests  as  comfortable  as  circumstances 
would  allow.  A  tedious  voyage  of  fully  five  days  brought 
them   finally    to    Plutopolis,    where     the    dreads    of   loneli- 


36  HITHER,  OR. 

ness  and  sudden  want  was  fortunately  terminated  by  our 
meeting.  This  reminds  me  of  the  necessity  of  at  once  re- 
plenishing our  wardrobe,  which  went  down  with  the  burning 
steamer,  leaving  us  both  so  totally  destitute  of  garments  of 
every  kind,  as  to  exclude  even  a  walk  in  the  streets  or  a  ride 
in  the  horse  cars.  I  hear  a  knock— ah  !  Mary  tells  me  that  a 
trader  in  all  kinds  of  women's  wear,  is  waiting  in  the  sitting 
room  to  receive  my  orders.  You  see,  dear  Journal,  that  this 
announcement  is  an  unimpeachable  excuse  for  closing  this 
effort,  so  farewell ! 

Sept.  17th.  Another  week  has  passed  without  bringing 
the  least  sign  of  life  from  Harry,  and  a  terrible  fear  begins  to 
oppress  me.  Of  course,  I  battle  against  it,  and  Mary,  poor 
Mary,  invents  daily  a  thousand  reasons  why  he  fails  to  make 
his  appearance  ;  but  she  does  it  evidently  to  comfort  me,  and 
with  so  poor  a  show  of  courage,  that  I  plainly  see  the  condi- 
tion of  her  mind.  We  have  been  to  all  centers  of  trade  and  fi- 
nances ;  we  have  advertised  in  all  the  papers,  but  without  even 
the  shadow  of  success.  The  strangest  thing  of  all  is  that  no- 
body seems  to  know  anything  about  a  millionaire,  Harry 
Brown,  and  more  than  once  I  have  discovered  strange  expres- 
sions in  the  eyes  of  the  parties  whom  we  asked,  as  if  the}7 
thought  our  minds  deranged. 

Fortunately  the  sum  which  Harry  left  me  for  collection 
secures  us  against  all  want,  although  the  cash  I  retained  for 
traveling  purposes  has  been  exhausted,  making  the  realization 
of  the  dratts  at  an  early  date  necessary.  I  detest  the  very  idea 
of  taking  steps  suggesting  the  possibility  of  Harry's  prolonged 
absence  ;  or — or — death  ! 

October  30th.—  Dear  mamma  is  unable  to  write  papa's 
continued  absence  and  silence  having  prostrated  her  to  such  an 
extent  as  to  permit  neither  physical  nor  mental  activity.  So 
she  commissioned'me  to  make  some  entries  in  her  beloved 
journal.  This  is  indeed  a  rare  favor  and  would  be  more  fully 
appreciated  by  me  if  I  had  not  to  record  such  sad  facts  and 
incidents.  Papa  lost — Heaven  forbid,  for  life — that  is  the 
mournful  thought  which  clothes  everything  else  in  deep 
mourning,  and  makes  the  recording  of  the  events  of  the  last 
five  weeks  an  irksome  task.  I  might,  therefore,  have  declined 
if  mamma's  request  did  not  plainly  originate  from  the  wash  of 
diverting  my  mind  for  the  one  sad  thought  alluded  to.  So,  to 
humor  her,  I  take  the  pen  to  state  that  we  are  no  longer  in  the 
hotel,  but  reside  in  our  own  home,  purchased  with  part  of  the 
money  left  us  by  papa.     His  disappearance  has  been  some- 


EITHER,  OR.  37 

what  softened  by  the  fact  that  our  misfortunes  and  strange 
fate  have  gained  us  several  warm  friends,  whose  motives  are 
totally  disinterested,  and  who  have  not  only  given  us  sound 
advice,  but  rendered  highly  efficient  aid.  It  was  one  of  them 
who  counseled  the  purchase  of  this  house  wlrch  lies  in  one  of 
the  suburbs  of  Plutopolis,  but  is  so  situated  that  we  can  reach 
the  business  center,  by  means  of  a  street  car  line,  in  less  than 
half  an  hour.  This  friend  urges  mamma  to  invest  the  re- 
mainder of  our  little  fortune  in  a  similar  manner,  as  the  rent- 
ing of  the  houses  would  iusure  a  higher  percentage  on  the 
money  than  otherwise  possible.  He  was  here  last  night,  but 
came  near  provoking  a  mortal  feud  by  hinting  at  the  possibil- 
ity of  papa's  absence  and  silence  being  intentional.  Both 
mamma  and  I  rose  when  Mr.  Comfort,  (that  is  his  name) 
uttered  the  insinuation  alluded  to.  "You  do  not  know  my 
husband?"  mamma  cried  with  flashing  eyes,  "or  you  would 
not  have  allowed  such  thoughts  to  enter  your  mind.  It  is  this 
fact  alone  which  prompts  me  to  forgive  you  ;  but  if  you  value 
our  regard,  do  not  breathe  a  second  time  a  thought  polluting 
the  memory  of  the  noblest  man  that  ever  lived." 

I  remained  silent,  but  my  looks  must  have  seconded  mam- 
ma so  effectually  that  Mr.  Comfort  considered  it  prudent  to 
abandon  his  position,  at  least  as  far  as  the  proclamation  of  it 
is  concerned.  Still,  lie  continued  to  urge  the  purchase  of  the 
real  estate  with  such  vigor  and  good  sense,  that  mamma  yield- 
ed to  his  persuasions  and  begged  him  to  make  the  necessary 
inquiries.  This  he  promised  to  do,  and  we  expect  him  this 
afternoon  or  evening  to  make  his  report.  But  where  is  papa? 
Where  can  he  be?  Strangers  who  do  not  know  him  may 
entertain  the  idea  that  selfish  reasons  induced  him  to  abandon 
us;  but  we  who  know  him  ;  we  who  have  known,  loved  and 
cherished  him  so  many  years,  are  so  deeply  imbued  with  the 
conviction  of  the  utter  impossibility  of  such  a  conduct  on  his 
part,  that  the  very  remonstrance  against  such  an  insinuation 
seems  preposterous  to  us.  If  my  good  and  noble  father  does 
not  return  to  us,  we  both  feel  convinced  that  only  the  cold 
embrace  of  death  prevents  his  return,  and  this  conviction, 
shockiug  though  it  be  to  our  loving  hearts,  is  a  thousand  times 
more  comforting  than  the  thought  that  he  could  live  and  stay 
away  from  us,  attracted  perhaps,  by  powerful  but  unholy 
charms. 

October  31st.— Mr.  Comfort  was  here  last  night,  according 
to  agreement,  and  laid  before  us  a  list  of  houses  for  sale.  He 
pointed  out  the  advantages   of  each  and  then  gave  his  counsel 


3S  EITHER,  OR. 

as  to  the  selection  most  advisable.  He  pointed  out  the  fact 
that  mamma  ought  to  select  such  as  would  bring  not  merely 
the  largest  rent,  but  also  the  greatest  probability  of  renting 
permanently.  Taking  both  these  points  into  consideration, 
mamma  finally  selected  one  or  two  stores  and  several  dwelling 
houses,  whose  rooms  can  be  furnished  and  let  to  single  per- 
sons. One  of  these,  a  central  one,  mamma  chose  for  her  fu- 
ture residence,  as  the  necessity  of  collecting  the  monthly  rents 
would  make  such  a  step  desirable.  We  both  shrank  a  little  at 
the  publicity  of  such  an  abode,  but  necessity  knows  no  law  ; 
nor  need  this  arrangement  be  continued  after  papa's  return, 
which  we  still  expect  and  hope  for  with  every  fiber  of  our 
soul. 

December  ist. — No  trace  of  papa  yet;  I  write  this  tear- 
fully, but  with  a  composure  which  I  deemed  impossible  a 
month  ago.  Perhaps  the  necessity  of  supporting  mamma's 
failing  frame  imparts  to  me  a  strength  which  otherwise  might 
be  lacking.  The  very  fact  that  she  no  longer  takes  comfort  in 
her  journal,  shows  plainly  and  painfully  how  this  terrible  blow 
has  crushed  her.  She  walks,  talks,  eats  and  drinks  much  like 
an  automaton,  and  her  eyes  have  that  far-off  look,  indicating 
the  absence  of  one's  thoughts.  The  care  for  her  undoubtedly 
is  beneficial  to  me,  acting  much  as  a  conductor,  removing  the 
pangs  of  an  excessive  affliction.  On  the  whole,  she  is  im- 
proving, and  I  sincerely  trust  that  time,  the  balmy  healer  of 
all  woes,  will  bring  to  her  sorrowing  soul  the  relief  which 
makes  life  not  merely  endurable,  but  enjoyable. 

Mamma  reserved  enough  money  to  furnish  our  house 
comfortably  and  buy  a  fine  piano  for  me,  as  my  proficiency  on 
that  instrument  is  too  valuable  an  acquisition  to  be  lost  by 
want  of  practice.  I  stated  before  that  our  strange  and  sad 
fate  procured  for  us  the  friendship  and  regard  of  several 
worthy  families,  all  of  which  vie  with  me  to  cheer  mamma 
and  make  her  forget  the  only  and  all-absorbing  thought  of  her 
soul.  Among  them  are  several  estimable  and  highly  amiable 
young  ladies,  who  soon  became  my  friends,  and  often  call 
to  cheer  me,  as  they  say,  and  to  hear  at  the  same  time  my 
playing  and  singing,  both  of  which  they  are  kind  enough  to 
pronounce  excellent.  It  would  be  foolish  for  me  to  pretend 
that  I  am  not  aware  of  my  skill  and  execution  on  the  piano, 
and  the  sweetness  and  strength  of  the  voice  with  which  moth- 
er nature  has  endowed  me.  I  have  received  instruction  in 
singing  and  playing  from  the  best  teachers  of  Europe,  and 
-when  I  add  that  this  instruction  extended  over  more  than  six 


EITHER,  OR.  39 

years,  I  need  hardly  add  that  it  would  be  very  strange  indeed, 
and  by  no  means  complimentary  to  my  diligence  and  perse- 
verance, if  I  had  not  risen  above  mediocrity.  I  think  it  very 
silly  for  young  ladies  to  force  an  inferior  skill  upon  society, 
but  regard  it  as  equally  foolish  to  hide,  from  pevishness  or 
false  modesty,  talents  calculated  to  entertain  and  elevate.  So 
I  always  play  or  sing  when  my  friends  ask  me,  a  readiness 
which  has  secured  me  several  pupils.  I  do  not  mean  to  inti- 
mate that  I  have  chosen  and  entered  upon  the  profession  of 
teaching,  my  pupils  being  only  a  few  friends  or  young  ladies 
introduced  to  me  by  such.  The  rent  of  our  houses  amply 
supplies  our  modest  wants,  but  it  is  quite  a  charm  and  satis- 
faction to  me  to  add  to  the  sums  which,  when  compared  with 
those  formerly  at  our  disposal,  siuk  into  utter  insignificance. 
The  rooms  of  our  second  and  third  stories  are  now  all  rented, 
and  although  several  chamber  maids  have  been  engaged  to 
keep  them  in  order,  I  cannot  help  noticing  and  studying  our 
lodgers.  Several  of  them  are  certainty  original,  while  others 
are  either  attractive  or  fortunately  in  only  a  few  instances,  re- 
pulsive. I  do  not  pretend  to  be  a  soul  reader,  but  the  charac- 
ter or  disposition  of  some  persons  is  so  legibly  written  on  their 
features,  that  even  a  little  goosy  like  myself  cannot  help  read- 
ing it.  I  will  mention  a  case  of  both  kinds,  both  young  men 
of  lather  a  prepossessing  appearance  and  polished  manners. 
They  gave  mamma  their  cards  when  they  first  engaged  rooms 
in  our  house,  a  circumstance  enabling  me  to  name  them.  The 
attractive  ohe  is  called  George  Woods,  and  as  the  description 
of  the  good'qualities  with  which  my  fancy  has  imbued  him,  is 
a  pleasant  task,  I  shall  begin  with  him.  Mr.  Woods  is  nearly 
or  quite  six  feet  high,  and  his  figure  is  unusually  well  propor- 
tioned. He  walks  erect,  as  if  to  say  to  the  world  :  "Here  I 
am,  ready  to  battle  with  you  and  to  conquer  you  if  I  have  half 
a  chance."  He  is  of  the  blonde  type,  i.  e.,  one  in  which  we 
frequentty  find  a  good  deal  of  vapidity  and  shallowness. 
With  Mr.  Woods,  however,  this  is  not  the  case.  His  step  has 
a  firmness  which  indicates  decision  and  readiness  in  emergen- 
cies. I  have  only  heard  him  speak  once,  but  his  voice  is 
pleasant  as  if  coming  from  an  honest  and  sincere  source.  He 
lifts  his  hat  when  he  passes  me  in  the  hall,  but  this  and  a  polite 
salutation  are  all  the  intercourse  I  have  with  him.  The  other 
party  is  a  Mr.  Cheatham,  Josephus  Cheatham,  I  think  his  card 
makes  him.  Cheatham:  Is  there  anything  in  a  name?  I 
did  not  use  to  think  so,  but  this  Mr.  Cheatham  looks  to  me  as 
if  he  would   cheat   you  at  the  first   chance  he  got  and  feel  no 


4o  EITHER,  OR. 

scruple  in  consequence,  either.  I  may  wrong  him  and  would 
not  say  this  to  any  one  except  my  bosom  friend,  the  Journal, 
which  possesses  discretion,  in  an  unusually  high  degree.  Mr. 
Cheatham  is  personally  even  more  handsome  than  Mr.  Woods, 
but  his  beauty  is  that  of  the  snake,  which  glitters  but  disgusts, 
or  that  of  the  tiger,  whose  veiled  eyes  become  volcanoes  when 
provoked,  and  whose  velvet  claws  tear  and  rend,  under  similar 
circumstances.  Of  course  he  has  neither  looked  daggers  at 
me,  nor  inflicted  wounds  with  his  claws,  i.  e.,  neatly  gloved 
hands;  but  he  has  looked  at  me  with  glances  so  insinuating 
and  inquisitory  that  I  had  to  lower  mine  and  have  ever  since 
avoided  meeting  him  in  the  hall  or  sitting  room,  which  latter 
apartment  he  visits  more  frequently  than  necessary,  clothing 
such  visits  in  the  garb  of  business  with  mamma.  On  such  oc- 
casions he  has  once  or  twice  accosted  me,  but  my  replies  have 
invariably  been  so  chilly  and  monosyllabic,  that  even  a  bolder 
man  than  Mr.  Cheatham  might  have  deemed  it  prudent  to  dis- 
continue such  attempts.  I  think  mamma  shares  my  repug- 
nance to  this  man,  although  her  preoccupation  has  probably 
prevented  her  from  knowing  her  own  feelings  on  this  point. 
Well,  I  ha\e  really  done  Mr.  Josephus  more  honor  than  he 
deserves,  so  I  shall  dismiss  him  now  and  for  all  time  to  come. 
I  will  only  add  that  both  these  gentlemen  are  clerks  in  a  bank- 
ing house  only  a  few  steps  from  our  house,  a  circumstance 
which  probably  induced  them  to  domicile  themselves  with  us. 

Dec.  20th.  Still  no  tidings  of  the  lost  one  !  Alas  !  will  it 
be  destined  to  continue  forever  this  same  sad  cry  of  yearning 
and  baffled  affection  ?  Even  mamma  seems  to  have  given  up 
all  hope,  and  a  sad  resignation  has  taken  the  place  of  the  for- 
mer wild  grief  and  desolation  Well,  mournful  as  the  sight  is, 
it  is  far  better  than  the  distraction  that  was  so  vividly  depict- 
ed on  her  countenance. 

Yesterday  Mr.  Woods  spent  an,  hour  in  our  sitting  room, 
but  it  was  by  mamma's  request  that  he  deviated,  from  his  usual 
respectful  reserve.  The  banking  house  of  Halleck  Bros,  is  so 
conveniently  located  for  our  monetary  affairs,  that  mamma  lias 
resolved  to  patronize  the  firm,  and  for  that  reason  requested 
the  presence  of  Mr.  Woods  My  former  estimate  of  him  has 
become  confirmed  by  this  interview  Indeed,  I  have  discov- 
ed  new  traits  of  merits  or  rather  excellence,  which  mere  ob- 
servation could  not  well  discover.  1  was  playing  when  he 
knocked  at  the  door,  which  circumstances  led  to  an  apology 
for  the  interruption  and  his  confession  of  great  fondness  for 
music.  Mamma  was  not  in  the  room  just  then, and  during  her 


EITHER,  OR.  41 

absence  we  exchanged  a  few  remarks  which  hinged  naturally 
on  music  and  informed  me  of  the  fact  that  Mr.  Woods  is  him- 
self an  adept,  or,  as  he  styled  it,  bungler  on  the  violin.  I 
told  him  that  I  had  some  exquisite  duetts  for  piano  and  violin, 
and  offered  my  assistance,  in  case  he  saw  proper,  to  try  them. 
He  professed  himself  delighted  with  the  prospect,  and  when 
mamma,  who  entered  at  this  moment,  invited  him  cordially  for 
some  musical  impromptus,  he  readily  accepted.  He  will  be 
here  this  evening,  so  I  will  have  to  quit  and  get  the  music 
ready.  Strange  to  say,  Mr.  Cheatham's  name  was  not  men- 
tioned in  the  interview,  and  I  have  a  vague  idea  that  the  rela- 
tions between  the  two  young  men  are  not  the  most  cordial,  a 
circumstance  caculated  to  increase  my  respect  for  Mr.  Woods. 
I  meet  the  other  very  rarely  now,  but  cannot  avoid  him  alto- 
gether without  appearing  rude,  for  which  manifestation  of 
dislike  he  has  not  given  me  sufficient  cause,  although  the 
vulgar  familiarity  of  his  look  at  our  rare  encounters,  raises 
my  ire  and  temper  to  resent  indignantly  the  insinuation 
implied. 

Dec.  21st.  Mr.  Woods  made  his  appearance  accord- 
ing to  agreement,  and  a  very  pleasant  evening  was  spent  in 
his  society.  He  plays  the  violin  with  considerable  skill,  and 
although  he  could  hardly  be  called  a  virtuoso  on  the  instru- 
ment,, his  playing  is  so  full  of  feeling  and  comprehension,  as 
to  make  up  for  any  little  defects  his  execution  may  possess. 
In  the  pauses  he  engaged  mamma  and  me  in  conversation,  and 
betrayed  so  much  originality  of  thought  and  variety  of  infor- 
mation, that  the  minutes  passed —not  only  with  unwonted  ra- 
pidity, but  tliRt  mamma  suffered  herself  to  be  aroused  to  a  de- 
gree of  interest  which  both  surprised  and  delighted  me.  Mr. 
Woods  was  invited  to  repeat  his  visit,  and  it  is  probable  that 
a  regular  musical  once-a  week  soiree  will  result  irom  this  em- 
bryo. *  *  *  *  While  writing  the  above  1  was  interrupt- 
ed by  a  knock  at  the  door,  and  upon  my  "Come  in  !  "  Mr. 
Cheatham  entered  the  room.  He  wished  to  pay  his  month's 
rent  he  said,  handing  the  money  to  mamma,  who  gave  him 
the  customary  receipt.  He  lingered  after  this,  offering  some 
remarks  on  the  weather,  and  next  volunteered  the  informa- 
tion that  he  had  heard  the  music  last  night  and  been  charmed 
by  it.  If  he  expected  that  this  information  would  lead  to  an 
invitation  on  mamma's  part,  he  was  mistaken,  for  she  replied 
in  brief  platitudes,  and  finally  returned  his  goodbye  with  a  re- 
lief fully  shared  by  myself. 

Jan.  2nd,  iS —     The  suspense  is  over;  never  again   shall 


42  EITHER.  OR. 

we  lay  eyes  upon  dear  papa  !  It  seems  cruel,  that  I  can 
write  these  lines  without  giving  way  to  an  outburst  of  grief, 
but  I  have  to  do  my  crying  in  secret,  as  mamma  has  relapsed 
into  all  the  former  paroxysms  of  grief  and  any  open  lamenta- 
tions upon  my  part  might  prove  the  feather  needed  to  crush 
her  under  the  burden  of  agony  and  cloud  forever  a  mind  both 
bright  and  noble.  It  was  three  days  ago,  that  the  long  ex- 
pected and  yet  so  sudden  and  terrible  thunderbolt  descended 
upon  our  home  which  had  begun  to  assume  an  aspect  of  tran- 
quility, soothing  but  treacherous.  We  have  changed  roles 
now.  The  protectress  has  become  the  ward,  and  oh !  sad  as  the 
occasion  is.  it  makes  me  infinitely  happy  to  be  able  to  pay  back 
in  driblets  the  ocean  of  kindness  shown  to  me  by  this  darling 
mother  in  happier  days.  I  am  ably  seconded  by  Mr.  Woods 
who,  in  some  way  or  other  has  become  quite  a  feature  of  our 
little  circle.  If  I  were  asked,  how  it  came  about,  I  would  have 
to  confess  ignorance;  but  it  is  certainly  a  fact,  that  Mr.  Woods 
or  George,  as  we  generally  call  him,  has  become  an  element,  if 
not  necessity  in  our  lives.  It  is  through  him,  or  rather  in  conse- 
quence of  our  acquaintance  with  him,  that  we  have  discovered 
papa's  death.  It  is  a  strange  story,  which  I  shall  put  down 
here,  painful  though  it  is,  for  I  have  long  since  begun  to  un- 
derstand the  charm  which  these  confidential  pencilings  exer- 
cise upon  a  body.  Whenever  something  unusual  occurs  I  am 
drawn  as  by  a  magnet  to  this  Journal  and  always  feel  greatly 
relieved  after  unburdening  my  mind. 

Last  Saturday  mamma  sent  me  to  the  bank  of  Halleck  Bros, 
to  deposit  some  money.  On  entering  the  room  I  found  the 
place  at  the  window  vacant ;  but  perceiving  the  door  to  the 
private  office  ajar,  [  walked  to  the  rear  of  the  apartment,  and 
pushing  back  the  door  a  little  further,  bent  forward  to  cast  a 
glance  into  the  office  and  see  whether  I  could  discover  Mr. 
Woods  or  some  other  clerk  of  the  bank.  It  was  empty,  but, 
on  the  wall  right  opposite  the  entrauce,  I  perceived  a  life  size 
portrait  which  caused  me  to  utter  a  low  cry  of  surprise  and 
then  to  grasp  the  door  frame  in  support,  as  I  felt  my  senses 
leaving  me,  and  lost  all  control  over  my  limbs.  Fortunately 
George  made  his  appearance  at  this  critical  moment.  Noticing 
my  agitation,  he  sprang  forward,  supported  my  tottering 
frame,  and  said,  leading  me  to  a  chair  :  "  Miss  Mary,  what 
ails  you  ?  Are  you  sick?  Can  I  do  anything  for  you?  Per- 
mit me  to  get  you  a  glass  of  water.  "  By  this  time  I  had  re- 
covered my  self-possession,  though  by  no  means  my  mental 
poise.     Rising   and    pointing   to  the  portrait,    I   said  with  a 


HITHER,  OR.  43 

feverish  excitement  which  probably  vibrated  in  every  sylla- 
ble :  "  Mr.  Woods, — George, — how — how  —did  that  portrait 
get  into  this  room  ?  "  The  young  man  evidently  considered 
me  the  victim  of  a  fever,  for  he  came  forward  once  more  and 
said  soothingly  :  "  You  are  not  well,  Miss  Mary,  permit  me 
to  lead  you  home.  "  I  merely  made  a  gesture  of  impatience 
in  reply,  and  pointing  rather  imperiously  to  the  portrait,  re- 
peated :     "  How  did  it  come  here  ?  " 

"  Why,  very  naturally,"  the  young  man  replied  wonder- 
ingly.  "It  is  the  portrait  of  Mr.  Ha*ry  Halleck,  the  brother 
and  silent  partner  of  Mr.  James  Halleck." 

"You  lie,"  I  cried  violently.  "That  portrait  is  the  likeness 
of  my  father.  I  sank  back  into  the  chair  from  which  I  had 
risen  in  my  excitement.  My  eyes  closed  in  utter  exhaustion, 
filling  the  young  man  with  increased  alarm,  for  he  came  still 
nearer  and  seized  my  hand,  a  liberty  upon  which  he  would 
never  have  ventured  in  calmer  moments,  cried  entreatingly, 
"Miss  Mary,  you  are  certainly  sick,  please  permit  me  to  see 
you  safely  home  ;  I  can  and  will  afterwards  answer  any  ques- 
tions you  may  see  proper  to  make." 

"Not  before  I  learn  what  right  you,  or  rather  your  em- 
ployer has  to  my  father's  portrait.  Tell  me  instantly,  or — " 
At  this  moment  the  door  connecting  the  office  with  the  inner 
bank  room,  opened  and  Mr.  Cheatham  appeared.  His  presence 
affected  me  like  an  electric  shock,  and  gave  back  to  me  in  an 
instance  the  control  over  my  nerves.  I  made  a  powerful  effort 
to  hide  the  terrible  excitement  under  which  I  had  been  labor- 
ing all  this  while,  and  succeeded  sufficiently  to  allege  a  sudden 
violent  sick  spell  as  the  cause  of  my  exhaustion.  He  expressed 
his  regret  and  offered  in  turn  his  services  as  an  escort.  This 
offer  completed  my  recovery.  Rising  and  thanking  him  coldly 
for  this  mark  of  courtesy,  I  told  him  that  I  had  already  ac- 
cepted the  services  of  Mr.  Woods,  and  then  with  a  low  obeis- 
ance left  the  office.  I  took  the  proffered  arm  of  my  compan- 
ion, but  remained  silent  until  we  had  reached  our  sitting  room. 
Shutting  its  door  I  made  sure  that  mamma  was  not  in  hearing 
distance,  and  then  walking  close  up  to  the  young  man  said 
almost  fiercely,  'Well?"' 

Again  he  took  my  hands,  gave  them  a  pressure  and  said 
reproachfully,  "why,  Mary,  you  talk  to  me  as  if  I  were  your 
mortal  enemy.  Are  you  not  aware  that  I  would  give  half  my 
life  to  make  you  happy  ?" 

In  spite  of  my  excitement,  these  words  sent  a  thrill 
through  my  body,  a  thrill  whose  nature   I  did   not  take  the 


44  EITHER,    OR. 

pains  to  analyze  then;  but  my  accents  grew  imperceptibly 
softer  as  I  resumed  :  "Well,  why  then  do  you  keep  me  in 
this  painful  suspense  ?  Did  I  not  tell  you  that  the  portrait  in 
the  office  is  the  likeness  of  my   father?" 

"And  you  are  sure,  Mary,  that  you  do  not  talk  in  a 
fever  ?" 

"Tut,"  I  replied  more  forcibly  than  elegantly,  "I  have  no 
more  a  fever  than  you,  and  am  in  the  full  and  unimpaired  pos- 
session of  my  mental  faculties,  when  I  tell  you  that  the  por- 
trait in  the  office  is  the  likeness  of  my  father." 

"But  your  father's  name  is  Brown,  you  know,"  Mr.  Woods 
remonstrated  ;  "  how,  then,  do  you  account  for  this  apparent 
incongruity  ?" 

"I  cannot  account  for  it,"  I  said  impatiently,  "but  that 
does  not  matter,  for  I  am  not,  cannot  be  mistaken.  But  now 
tell  me  quick,  where  is  he?  I  mean  the  original  of  the  pic- 
ture?" 

A  shadow  passed  over  the  face  of  the  young  man  and  he 
replied  with  much  hesitancy,  "The  original  of  that  portrait, 
Mary,  is  dead." 

"Dead!"  I  echoed,  laying  my  hand  upon  my  breast  to 
stifle  a  sudden  pain  in  my  heart.  "Dead?  Oh,  that  accounts 
for  it.  I  see  it  all,  now.  And  when — when  did  he  die?" 
"About  four  or  five  months  ago,-'  he  said  musingly.  "But—  " 
"Hush,"  I  cried,  "I  hear  mamma's  voice.  She  must  know 
nothing  of  this  until  all  doubt  and  uncertainty  has  been  re- 
moved.    Can  you  give  me  a  few  minutes  this  evening?" 

"It  is  entirely  at  your  disposal." 

'Very  well.  Good  bye — you  had  better  retire  before 
mamma  comes  in  and  asks  questions."  He  withdrew,  leaving 
me  the  prey  of  the  chaos  of  conflicting  thoughts  and  emotions. 
To  make  matters  worse,  I  had  to  repress  them  and  preserve  a 
calm  and  even  cheerful  appearance  for  mother's  sake.  In  the 
evening  Mr.  Woods  made  his  appearance,  but  mamma  was  so 
constantly  in  the  room  that  we  found  no  chance  lor  the  con- 
templated interchange  of  thoughts.  I  was  meditating  some 
ruse  to  secure  the  wished  for  tete-a-tete,  when  Mr.  Woods 
came  to  the  rescue,  asking  me  whether  I  had  heard  the  famous 
preacher  that  now  stirred  up  the  society  of  Plutopolis  to  its 
very  depth.  Mamma  here  interposed,  asking  the  young  man 
banteringly  whether  he  was  ignorant  of  the  fact  that  we — 
meaning  herself  and  me — were  hopelessly  tainted  with  skep- 
ticism ? 

"I  have  at  least  an  inkling  of  the  fact,"  he   replied  with  a 


EITHER,  OR.  45 

smile.  "Nevertheless  I  venture  to  invite  Miss  Mary,  at  least, 
to  hear  Mr.  Slamdidge  to-morrow.  She^is  not  so  hardened  a 
ease,  you  know,  and  the  tremendous  sledge-hammer  blows  of 
the  Evangelist  may  break  the  crust  at  some  weak  spot." 

How  can  I  describe  the  mixture  of  feelings  with  which  I 
listened  to  these  words.  To  banter  with  a  bleeding  heart ;  to 
deceive  her  whom  I  loved  with  every  fibre  of  my  heart.  Dire- 
ful necessity  :  yet  necessity,  for  under  no  circumstances  would 
I  dare  to  expose  dear  mamma  to  the  baneful  uncertainty  then 
torturing  my  heart.  She  was  evidently  astonished  when  I  ac- 
cepted Mr.  Woods'  invitation,  alleging  as  a  reason  my  desire 
to  study  this  interesting  phase  of  infatuation.  Our  visitor  did 
not  stay  long,  and  we  retired  soon  after  his  withdrawal,  a  vio- 
lent headache  with  which  I  really  suffered,  forming  an  excel- 
lent excuse  for  an  early  retirement.  On  the  next  morning 
Mr.  Woods  appeared  at  ten  o'clock,  and  we  at  once  started  on 
our  errand.  The  church  bells  were  ringing;  the  quiet  streets, 
the  gaily  dressed  people,  everything  in  fact  bore  the  garb  of 
cheerfulness,  contrasting  strangely  with  the  tumult  within  me. 
We  had  hardly  withdrawn  to  a  safe  distance  when  I  looked 
inquiringly  in  my  companion's  face,  merelv  uttering  the  mono- 
sylable,  "  Well  ?'"' 

George  reflected  a  moment  and  then  said  hesitatingly  : 
"Miss  Mary,  I  have  made  some  inquiries  in  this  strange  aflair 
and  discovered  that  there  may  indeed  be  some  foundation  for 
your  supposition.  The  janitor  of  the  bank  has  been  with  the 
firm  for  many  a  year,  and  when  I  cautiously  touched  upon  the 
olden  times,  he  told  me  that  the  maiden  name  of  Mr.  Halleck's 
mother  had  been  Brown,  and  that — "  I  interrupted  him  with 
a  low  cry,  for  the  conviction  of  the  correctness  of  my  supposi- 
tion brought,  as  a  matter  of  course,  the  consciousness  of  my 
dear  father's  death,  that  is,  his  irrecoverable  loss  to  my 
mother  and  myself.  When  he  paused,  sympathizingly,  I  strug- 
gled for  self-possession  and  urged  him  on  by  saying:   "Proceed." 

"  Well,  old  Tompkins  informed  me  that  there  had  never 
been  much  love  lost  between  the  two  brothers  and  that  one  day, 
it  must  have  been  fully  twenty-five  years  ago,  Harry,  the  young- 
er brother,  suddenly  disappeared,  leaving  no  token  of  his  inten- 
tions. Nor  did  he  ever  write,  to  Tompkins'  knowledge,  or  return 
until  he  suddenly  loomed  up  about  six  months  ago.  James,  that 
is  the  other  brother's  name,  did  not  seem  to  be  over-much  en- 
joyed at  Harry's  return,  but  the  latter  acted  so  friendly  and 
disinterestedly  that  a  cordial  relation  between  the  two  was  es- 
tablished.    I  infer  from  Tompkins'  rambling  communications 


46  EITHER,  OR. 

that  the  bank  really  belonged  to  the  younger  brother,  having 
been  started  with  a  legacy  left  him  by  an  uncle  after  whom  he 
had  been  named.  I  mention  this  to  make  you  understand 
the  true  relations  of  the  two  brothers.  Mr.  Harry  Halleck  was 
a  daily  visitor  at  the  bank,  taking  up  his  quarters  in  a  few 
chambers  of  the  second  story  furnished  bachelor  fashion, 
when  his  sudden  death  put  a  new  phase  upon  the  entire  sit- 
uation. "  He  stopped,  probably  induced  by  the  convulsive 
twitching  of  my  hand,  which  I  could  not  entirely  suppress. 
He  gazed  at  me  compassionately  and  resumed  :  "  I  wish  I 
could  spare  you  this  pain,  Miss  Mary,  but  your  own  injunc- 
tions prevent  it,  please  remember  this,  if  what  I  have  to  tell 
you  wounds  your  feelings.  " 

"  I  understand  ;  please  proceed.  " 

"  Well,  one  morning  we  were  shocked  by  the  communi- 
cation of  the  janitor  who  rushed  into  the  bank  and  informed 
us,  that  Mr.  Harry  was  lying  dead  in  his  bed,  killed,  no  doubt, 
by  the  escape  of  gas.  It  was  indeed,  the  smell  of  gas,  which 
was  the  cause  of  the  sad  event.  The  janitor,  perceiving  it  to 
issue  from  Mr.  Halleck's  room,  had  ventured  upon  enteiing, 
with  the  terrible  result  I  mentioned." 

Again  he  stopped,  this  time  interrupted  by  the  violent 
manifestations  of  grief  I  could  no  longer  control  and  hide. 
Bursting  into  sobs,  almost  convulsive  in  their  vehemence,  I 
disregarded  place  and  time,  and  thought  just  then  of  nothing 
but  the  untimely  end  of  one  of  the  best  of  men.  Mr.  Woods 
had  probably  forseen  something  of  the  kind,  for  he  had  chosen 
a  lonely  street  which  widened  at  that  place  into  one  of  the 
little  parks  adorning  the  city.  He  wisely  forebore  comforting 
me  in  words,  but  the  pressure  of  his  arm  on  my  hand  tight- 
ened and  leading  me  to  one  of  the  benches  ot  the  resort,  stand- 
ing in  a  cluster  of  evergreens,  he  made  me  sit  down,  remain- 
ing silent  until  the  first  paroxism  of  grief  had  subsided.  When 
my  sobs  had  lost  their  convulsive  character,  I  apologized  for 
drawing  him  into  a  grief  foreign  to  him,  but  he  protested  so 
earnestly  against  the  idea  of  his  being  a  stranger  that  I  ceased, 
relapsing  into  a  silence  filled  with  thoughts,  sad  to  bitterness. 
Suddenly,  however,  I  was  startled  by  the  recollection  that  this 
conduct  was  selfish;  that  there  was  a  being  left  to  me  to  whom 
these  dreadful  news  must  be  broken,  and  gently  broken,  if  she 
should  not  sink  under  the  blow. 

"Mr,  Woods — George," — I  said,  under  the  impression  of 
this  thought  "I  have  no  claim  upon  you,  but,  oh,  do  not  desert 
me  in  this  trying  hour.  What  am  I  to  do  ?  How  am  I  to  impart 


EITHER,  OR.  47 

this  shocking  news  to  mamma?  Oh,  help  me,  help  me."  These 
entreaties  seemed  to  touch  him  almost  painfully.  Seizing 
both  my  hands  in  his  he  exclaimed  :  "Mary,  how  can  you  talk 
that  way  ?  How  can  you  consider  as  a  painful  task  a  privi- 
lege dearer  to  me  than  life  itself?  This  is  not  the  time  to  worry 
you  with  a  declaration  of  the  feelings  with  which  you  have 
inspired  me,  but  rest  assured  that  there  is  no  pleasure  this 
world  could  offer  which  can  at  all  compare  with  that  of  serv- 
ing you." 

His  words  were  so  earnest  that  they  carried  the  convic- 
tion of  their  sincerity  with  them.  And  why  deny  it?  They 
touched  me  very  sweetly  in  that  hour  of  distress  and  poured 
healing  balm  into  my  troubled  soul.  I  could  not  abstain  from 
pressing  his  hands,  and  then  withdrawing  mine,  said:  "I 
thank  you,  George.  Rest  assured  that  these  words  of  comfort 
will  never  be  forgotten.  But  now  tell  me,  what  shall  and 
must  I  do?     You  are  the  only  one  I  have  to  counsel  me." 

"I  am  only  sorry,"  he  replied,  "that  I  cannot  give  you  the 
experience  of  riper  years,  but  let  me  see :  There  are  some 
main  points  which  we  must  not  lose  .sight  of.  First,  and  fore- 
most, we  must  make  perfectly  sure  of  the  identity  of  the  por- 
trait before  we  venture  upon  breaking  the  news  to  your 
mother." 

"But  how  can  this  be  done  without  letting  your  mother 
see  the  likeness?" 

"  Oh,  as  to  that,  there  is  no  neccessity  whatever.  Re- 
member that  I  left  my  father  not  many  months  ago,  and  pre- 
serve a  very  vivid  recollection  of  his  features.  When  was  this 
portrait  painted?" 

"  During  the  first  weeks  after  his  arrival.  I  heard  him 
tell  his  brother  also,  that  it  was  intended  as  a  pleasant  surprise 
to  distant  friends.  " 

"  Did  you  never  hear  him  speak  of  being  married  ?  " 

"  Never,  but  that  is  not  conclusive,  as  I  did  not  hear  him 
speak  a  hundred  words.  " 

"  Well,  nevertheless  the  circumstantial  evidence  is  too 
conclusive,  to  be  overlooked  :  The  name  of  Harry  Brown, 
the  fact  of  his  having  been  absent  for  twenty-five  years  ;  the 
wealth  possessed  by  both  papa  and  Mr.  Halleck  ;  I  think 
there  can  be  little  doubt  even  to  strangers  of  the  identity  of  the 
two.  As  to  myself,  I  am  perfectly  and  irrefutably  convinced." 

He  reflected  a  moment,  then  said  :  "  You  are  right,  Miss 
Mary,  and  this  settles  our  course  in  regard  to  your  mother  ; 
but  I  must  confess  that  I  am   considerablv  in   the  dark  as  to 


48  EITHER,  OR. 

the  best  course  concerning  Halleck.  Remember,  there  are 
millions,  and  many  millions  involved  in  this  matter,  and  we 
must  be  both  cautious  and  circumspect,  to  secure  to  yourself 
and  your  mother  the  fortune  rightfully  belonging  to  you.  " 

"  Why,  George,  you  do  not  think  that  Mr.  Halleck  could 
be  mean  enough  to  reject  our  claims  when  put  into  the  prop- 
er light  ?  " 

George  seemed  slightly  embarrassed.  "  I  dislike  to  speak 
ill  of  others,  and  therefore  say,  I  would  be  very  glad  to  see 
Mr.  Halleck  do  the  right  thing.  But  Mary,  one  cannot  be 
constantly  in  a  bank,  without  becoming  painfully  aware  of  the 
baneful  influence  of  gold.  Indeed,  I  would  not  be  very  much 
surprised  to  see  him  disregard  the  ties  of  kinship,  and  the  dic- 
tates of  conscience,  when  millions  are  at  stake.  " 

"  Then,  what  do  you  think  we  had  better  do  ?  " 

"  Let  me  see  ;  first,  we  will  have  to  establish  the  identity 
between  Mr.  Harry  Brown  and  Mr.  Harry  Halleck.  This 
once  accomplished,  the  rest  would  be  comparatively  easy.  Of 
course,  your  mother  has  a  certificate  of  marriage?  " 

"  Certainly,  that  is — let  me  think.  She  had  a  certificate. 
for  I  have  read  it  more  than  a  dozen  times,  but  it  was  packed 
with  our  baggage  and  lies  now  at  the  bottom  of  the  Atlantic 
ocean.  " 

"  But  she  can  easily  procure  a  duplicate.  Where  were 
your  parents  married?  " 

"  On  the  little  island  of  Yoko  in  the  Indian  ocean.  " 

"  And  by  whom  there?  " 

"  A  Mr.  Swift,  who  stayed  there  in  the  capacity  of  mis- 
sionary. Both  papa  and  mamma  told  me  often,  that  they 
were  married  in  the  little  church  of  the  only  place  on  the 
island." 

"Mr.  Swift,  missionary,  Island  of  Yoko,  Indian  Archipel- 
ago," repeated  George,  making  a  memorandum  of  these 
names  in  his  note  book.  "  I  am  glad  we  shall  find  no  difficulty 
in  securing  a  duplicate  of  the  lost  certificate,  in  case  we  need 
it.  In  fact  I  may  as  well  see  about  this  without  delay.  I 
shall  continue  to  ply  old  Tompkins  for  further  information,  as 
far  as  propriety  and  prudence  permit,  for  something  tells  me 
that  the  greatest  discretion  will  have  to  be  exercised  in  this 
matter.  If  I  were  in  your  place  I  would  not  breathe  this  dis- 
covery to  anybody,  and  enjoin  the  same  secrecy  upon  my 
mother.  And  now,  shall  we  return  to  the  house  and  speak 
the  news  to  your  poor  mother  ?     Remember,  it  must  be  done 


EITHER,  OR.  49 

some  time,  and  the  sooner  it  is  done  the  sooner  you  will  be  re- 
lieved of  a  heavy  burden." 

He  was  right  and  I  told  him  so.  We  rose  and  returned 
home,  our  steps,  however,  slackening  perceptibly  on  reaching 
our  premises.  Mother  met  us  in  the  hall,  and  expressed  much 
wonderment  at  our  early  return.  "Was  the  discourse  of  the 
Rev.  Slamdidge  not  to  your  liking?"  she  banteringly  inquired, 
making  me  feel  like  a  guilty  criminal  on  the  point  of  confes- 
sion. But  why  repeat  the  dreadful  scene  ensuing?  I  shudder 
at  the  mere  recollection  and  have  not  the  heart  to  paint  in  de- 
tail the  agony  of  my  beloved  mother.  L,et  it  suffice  to  state 
that  I  succeeded,  with  George's  assistance,  in  breaking  the 
news,  without  at  the  same  time  breaking  her  heart.  For  hours, 
however,  she  refused  to  be  comforted,  uttering  incessantly  the 
name  of  the  departed  and  yielding  finally  more  to  the  dictates 
of  an  exhausted  nature  than  to  those  of  reason.  I  almost 
forced  her  to  lie  down  a  few  hours,  George  remaining  in  the 
house  all  the  while  and  supporting  me  with  his  sympathy  and 
his  counsel.  About  six  o'clock  mamma  suddenly  appeared  in 
the  sitting  room  and  exclaimed  on  entering  :  "George,  take  me 
to  the  picture,  for  I  must  see  it.  Nay,  do  not  refuse  me,  for  if 
you  do,  I  shall  call  on  Mr.  Halleck  to-morrow  morning  and  ask 
the  same  privilege  from  him."  Neither  George  nor  I  made  the 
attempt  to  dissuade  her,  for  we  read  in  her  eyes  and  counten- 
ance that  she  would  not  listen  to  reason,  or  be  refused.  So 
George  said  promptly  :  "Well,  Mrs.  Brown,  if  you  must  see 
the  portrait,  I  must  devise  some  means  without  arousing  the 
suspicions  of  the  inmates  of  the  bank.  Fortunately  I  have 
the  keys  for  the  back  door  leading  into  the  office  But  I  sha  11 
precede  you  fully  hall  an  hour,  for  it  would  never  do  to  expose 
your  and  Mary's  reputation  to  the  gossip  of  the  city.  It  will 
soon  be  dusk.  You  can  reach  the  bank  from  the  alley  run- 
ning back  of  these  houses.  Wrap  yourselves  in  some  shawl 
or  cloak,  leave  your  house  through  the  court  and  walk  to  the 
rear  of  the  bank,  where  I  shall  be  in  waiting."^    ^::    ^ 

He  left  us  without  further  parley,  and  half  an  hour  later 
we  followed  his  example,  gliding  unobserved  first  into  our 
court  yard,  and  thence  into  the  alley  beyond.  Creeping  in 
the  deeper  shadows  of  the  buildings,  we  soon  reached  the  lot 
on  which  the  bank  is  located.  A  high  board  fence  separates 
it  from  the  alley,  and  at  the  gate  leading  into  the  court  we 
found  George  who  led  us  stealthily  to  the  rear  of  the  bank  and 
then  into  the  back  office.  Here  he  struck  a  match,  and  then 
lit  a  lamp.     As  soon  as  the  apartment  was  lit,  mamma  began 


50  EITHER,  OR. 

to  look  around  and  before  long  her  eyes  fell  upon  the  portrait. 
Our  communications  had  naturally  prepared  her  for  the  sight; 
but  so  life-like  was  the  picture,  and  so  perfect  the  imitation, 
that  the  aspect  nevertheless  completely  overwhelmed  her. 
"  Harry  !  "  she  cried  piteously,  stretching  her  hands  towards 
the  picture  in  a  beseeching  manner,  and  then  sank  into  a 
chair,  sobbing  hysterically,  as  if  her  heart  would  break. 
Neither  George  nor  I  attempted  to  comfort  her,  judging,  and 
rightly,  that  a  total  abandonment  to  her  sorrow  would  most 
rapidly  abate  its  vehemence.  For  fully  fifteen  minutes  the  sobs 
continued  without  any  sign  of  abatement ;  then  they  shook  her 
frame  merely  at  intervals  and  ten  minutes  later  she  had  re- 
gained sufficient  composure  to  speak.  Stretching  her  hand 
towards  the  portrait  she  exclaimed  with  unexpected  energy  ; 
"  Mary,  that  picture  must  be  mine.  To-morrow  I  shall  ask 
the  owner  for  its  price,  and  I  shall  purchase  it,  no  matter  what 
he  may  demand. 

"  Well,  "  said  George,  evidently  deeming  it  prudent  not 
to  contradict  her,  "  of  that  we  had  better  speak  more  at  leisure 
at  your  house.  The  janitor  might  surprise  us  here  if  we  stay- 
ed much  longer,  an  occurrence  which  must  be  avoided  at  any 
cost.  " 

Mamma  seemed  to  comprehend  the  full  force  of  this  re- 
mark, for  she  rose  and  said  resignedly,  "  Let  us  go  then.  " 

We  accomplished  our  retreat  in  safety  and  both  George 
and  I  breathed  a  sigh  of  relief,  when  we  reached  the  shelter 
of  our  own  house.  It  was  only  after  the  fortunate  termination 
of  our  venture  that  we  saw  the  full  magnitude  of  the  risk  we 
had  run.  On  mamma  the  sight  of  the  picture  had  a  salutory 
effect  It  probably  made  her  grief  more  pointed,  but  it  also 
made  it  less  shadowy,  and  therefore  more  easy  to  combat. 
Still  she  talked  of  nothing  but  the  purchase  of  the  picture, 
until  George  was  compelled  to  say  kindly,  but  with  firmness : 
"  Mrs.  Brown,  I  doubt  very  much,  whether  Mr.  Halleck  would 
sell  that  portrait  under  any  consideration,  but  I  fear,  that 
you  would  be  the  last  person  into  whose  hands  he  would  al- 
low it  to  fall.  " 

"  But  why,  Mr.  Woods?"  Mamma  inquired,  opening  her 
eyes  wonderingly.  George  then  proceeded  to  explain  to  her 
the  main  features  of  our  discoveries,  and  closed  by  saying  : 
"  It  is  to  be  feared  that  Mr.  Halleck  will  dispute  your  claim  to 
any  kinship  with  him,  and  what  is  more,  your  claim  to  your 
husband's  fortune.  By  such  a  rash  step  as  you  intend  to 
make,  you  would  put  him  on  his  guard,  and  enable  him  to  re- 


EITHER,  OR.  51 

fute  your  claim.  This  had  the  desired  effect,  but  the  wish  to 
possess  the  portrait  was  too  potent  to  be  abandoned  at  once  ; 
so  she  said:  "  Perhaps  you  are  right,  Mr.  Woods.  Indeed,  I 
see,  you  are,  and  thank  you  sincerely  for  the  kind  interest  you 
take  in  us  and  our  affairs ;  but  can  you  think  of  no  way,  in 
which  we  could  secure  a  copy  of  the  portrait,  without  the 
owner's  knowledge?  " 

"  That  might  perhaps  be  done,  although  such  an  under- 
taking would  certainly  be  very  difficult,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
necessity  of  hiding  the  copy,  to  avoid  scandal  and  gossip.  But 
it  is  late.  Permit  me  to  retire  with  the  sincere  hope  that  time 
will  enable  you  to  bear  your  great  affliction  with  fortitude  and 
patience ." 

Aug.  1  st.  Pvxcuse  me,  dear  Journal  for  having  been  so 
negligent  in  my  attentions.  Seven  months  have  elapsed  since 
my  last  visit  to  your  sanctum,  and  I  cannot  even  say  that  I 
had  nothing  of  importance  to  communicate  to  you.  On  the 
contrary,  one  startling  occurrence  has  chased  the  other,  a  cir- 
cumstance which  perhaps  accounts  for  my  want  of  attention 
to  your  claims,  and  is,  indeed,  the  only  excuse  I  have  to  offer. 
Let  me  attone  by  double  diligence.  Let  me  first  and  foremost 
whisper  a  grand  secret  into  your  ear  hitherto  unknown  only 
to  mamma,  George  and  myself.  Can  you  not  guess?  Were 
similar  secrets  never  whispered  to  you  ?  Of  course,  they  were. 
I  myself  read  one  made  by  another  Mary,  eighteen  years  ago. 
You  understand  now  ?  Ah,  I  thought  you  would.  Well,  it 
happened  some  three  months  ago,  but  how?  I  can  hardly 
tell.  Maybe  George  has  a  better  memory,  so  you  had  better 
ask  him.  I  will  tell  you,  however,  that  the  occurrence  has 
made  me  extremely  happy,  much  happier  than  I  thought  I 
would  ever  be  again.  Even  mamma  is  more  cheerful  in  con- 
sequence, entering  with  spirit  into  the  date  of  the  marriage 
and  what  we  are  going  to  do  afterwards.  From  this  you  must 
not  infer  that  the  day  has  been  fixed — we  are  altogether  too 
expectant  for  such  a  step  just  now.  George  has  taken  upon 
himself  the  task  of  establishing  papa's  identity  with  Harry 
Halleck,  and  also  to  procure  a  duplicate  of  my  parental  mar- 
riage certificate,  but  in  both  of  these  undertakings  he  has  sig- 
nally failed.  In  spite  of  the  most  diligent  inquiries,  George 
has  failed  to  discover  the  least  trace  of  Harry  Brown  after  his 
disappearance  from  Plutopolis.  Papa  must  have  had  potent 
reasons  to  thus  conceal  his  tracks,  although  I  feel  in  my  soul 
that  they  were  in  no  way  discreditable  to  him.  I  surmise  that 
his  relations  to  his  brother  must  have  been  highly  unpleasant, 


52  EITHER,  OR. 

causing  him  to  form  the  resolution  of  disappearing  complete- 
ly, but  I  only  surmise  it.  As  to  the  certificate,  we  have  been 
equally  unsuccessful.  George's  inquiries  have  brought 
to  light  the  fact  that  the  natives  of  Yoko  killed  Mr.  Swift 
about  ten  years  ago,  and  burned  the  little  church,  with  all  its 
contents,  destroying  in  that  way  the  register  and  all  other  doc- 
uments connected  with  Mr.  Swift's  official  actions.  Strange 
to  say,  these  failures  do  not  effect  either  mamma  or  me,  at 
least  as  far  as  the  prospect  of  the  possession  or  loss  of  millions 
is  concerned.  To  tell  the  truth,  dear  mamma  has  always  been 
something  of  a  socialist,  if  not  communist,  and  often  scrupled 
at  the  ownership  of  so  much  wealth,  at  the  expense,  she  says, 
of  our  fellow-men.  Indeed,  if  we  now  recover  this  wealth,  I 
feel  sure  that  she  will  use  it  in  conformity  with  these  views, 
not  in  charity,  which  she  considers  unfair,  but  in  justice  and 
the  recognition  of  the  fact  that  all  men  are  brothers. 

I  am  at  a  loss  to  conjecture  what  we  shall  do  with  the 
view  of  pushing  our  claims,  and  my  two  confederates  are  in 
the  same  dilemma  ;  but  it  seems  to  be  silently  understood  that 
some  modus  operandi  will  be  adopted,  even  if  George's  inves- 
tigations remain  fruitless.  George  is  decidedly  of  the  opinion 
that  Mr.  Halleck  will  never  voluntarily  acknowledge  our  claim 
of  relationship,  i.  «?.,  to  papa's  fortune,  unless  we  furnish  him 
proofs  which  cannot  be  refuted.  I  naturally  adopt  his 
views,  but  mamma  says  she  cannot  force  herself  to  think  so 
poorly  of  the  brother  of  a  man  who  ranked  so  high  among 
his  fellow  beings  for  honesty,  for  fairness  and  magnanimity. 
If  we  fail  to  secure  the  proofs  in  question,  she  will,  at  an  early 
date,  call  upon  Mr.  James  Halleck,  disclose  to  him  our  rela- 
tionship with  his  lamented  brother,  and  then  appeal  to  his  in- 
tegrity and  sense  of  equity.  George  shakes  his  head,  but  does 
not  try  to  dissuade  her,  as  such  a  step  cannot  destroy  prospects 
which,  in  his  opinion,  have  already  assumed  a  desperate  aspect. 
George  himself  is  certainly  the  soul  of  noble  disinterestedness. 
Although  the  loss  of  papa's  fortune  to  mamma  and  myself  sig- 
nifies its  prospective  loss  to  him,  he  urges  frequently  an  aban- 
donment of  our  claim,  on  the  ground  that  it  causes  us  need- 
less worry,  and  must  necessarily  hurt  the  feelings  of  high- 
strung  natures.  Mamma,  however,  is  determined ;  partly  from 
a  sense  of  noble  pride,  and  partly,  I  guess,  with  the  intention 
of  carrying  out  some  philanthropic  scheme,  in  case  the  need- 
ful means  are  placed  at  her  disposal.  Well,  if  we  recover  the 
lost  millions,  she  will  find  in  me  not  only  a  negative  well- 
wisher,  but  an   active  assistant,  for  I,  too,  have  imbibed  the 


EITHER,  OR.  53 

principles  laid  down    in  the   writings  of    our  great  socialists. 
Aug.  30th.     Our  affairs  are  in  the  statu  quo  of  a  month 
ago,  excepting  a  new  and  rather  annoying  feature  which  has 
since  developed.     I  say  developed,    for  what  I  am  going  to 
record  is  not  exactly  new,  dating,  in  fact,  from  the  appearance 
of  Mr.  Josephus  Cheatham  in  our  house.     I  have  repeatedly 
mentioned  the  bold  and  significant  glances  he  has  had  the  im- 
pudence to  cast  at  me.     My  coldly  ignoring  him  had  no  effect 
on    Mr.   Cheatham  ;  on   the  contrary,  his  attentions   became 
more  marked  as  the  weeks  passed  by,  assuming  first  the  shape 
of  attempts  to  say  polite  things,  scented  either  with  sweetness 
or  imaginary  cleverness.     I  have  stated  that  Mr.  Cheatham 
would  insist  upon  occasional  visits  in  the  sitting   room.     A 
person  less  callous  would  have  been  deterred  from  demonstra- 
tions by  the  icy  coldness  with  which  they  were  received ;  but 
in  Mr.  Cheatham's  case,  nature  seems  to  have  made  a  mistake 
by  supplying  him  with  the  thickness,  or  at  least  toughness,  of 
an  elephant's  hide.     Mr.  Cheatham  was  not  only  not  discour- 
aged, but  actually  elated,  for  his  visits  grew  in  length  and  fre- 
quency.    He  was  cunning  enough  to  clothe  them  always  in 
the  garb  of  business,  thus  hindering  us  from  forbidding  thern. 
If  Mr.   Cheatham  had  over-stepped  the  rules  of  etiquette,  it 
would  have  been  different ;  but  although  his  eyes  betrayed  a 
constantly    increasing   admiration    for    my   charms,    he   was 
clever  enough  not  to  give  mamma  or  myself  just  cause  for  re- 
questing a   discontinuance   of  his  calls.     To  the  outer  world 
Mr.  Cheatham  presents  the  appearance  of  an  exemplary  young 
man.     He  is  handsome,  well-dressed,  has  an  income  apparent- 
ly adequate  to  his  wants,  and,  in  the  eyes  of  the  world,  is  quite 
the  fellow  by  whose  attentions  a  girl  ought  to  consider  herself 
flattered.     My  own  aversion  must  be  intuitive  and  a  lenient 
observer  might  shake  his  head  reprovingly  at  my  super-fas- 
tidiousness.    Perhaps  I  am  too  severe ;  perhaps  the  conscious- 
ness of  his  loathsome  admiration  gives  an  undue  sharpness  to 
my  feelings;  but  this  much  is  certain,  that  I  shudder  at  the 
mere  sight  of  this  man.  and  that  I  must  call  to  my  aid  all  my 
good  senses  to  overcome  the  presentiment  that  he  is  to  be  the 
evil  genius  of  my  life.     But,  to  come  to  the  point :     It  was 
yesterday,  during  one  of  Mr.  Cheatham's  obnoxious  visits  and 
during  mamma's  temporary  absence,  that  he  had  the  audacity 
to  offer  me  his  hand  and  heart.     If  I  had  followed  my  first 
impulse,  I  would  have  slapped  him  in  the  face  and  then  turned 
him  from  the  room  like  one  of  those  disgusting  reptiles  which 
combine  hideousness  with  poison,  but  though  I  curbed  this 


54  EITHER,  OR. 

inclination  with  a  powerful  effort,  I  am  certain  that  my  coun- 
tenance was  a  true  index  of  the  feelings  animating  me  while 
I  politely,  but  with  icy  chilliness,  declined  the  honor  of  such  a 
connection.  He  scowled  visibly,  but  only  momentarily,  and 
then  requested  me  not  to  decide  too  hastily  and  permit  him  to 
earn  the  favor  he  asked,  by  continued  and  boundless  devotion. 
I  cut  him  short  by  saying:  "  Not  so,  Mr.  Cheatham  ;  I  feel, 
in  fact  I  know,  that  I  shall  never  entertain  for  you  such  feel- 
ings as  would  make  a  marriage  with  you  possible.  I  despise 
coquetry,  and  would  commit  an  act  of  unpardonable  levity 
were  I  to  encourage  you  to  entertain  for  another  moment  the 
possibility  of  the  realization  of  your  wishes."  After  these 
words  I  rose,  and  he  interpreting  my  action  as  a  dismissal,  fol- 
lowed my  example,  saying  more  pointedly  than  before  and 
with  a  deepening  scowl  on  his  face,  "  Very  well,  Miss  Brown, 
be  it  as  you  wish.  I  fail  to  comprehend  how  and  why  my 
well-meant  offer  should  arouse  in  you  the  feelings  of  indigna- 
tion and  aversion  so  plainly  depicted  in  your  countenance.  I 
trust  that  you  will  never  regret  this  hasty  and  supercilious 
rejection.  Rest  assured  that  I,  for  my  part,  shall  never  forget 
the  puerile  role  you  made  me  in  this  farce.  I  wish  you  good 
night." 

I  feel  that  Josephus  Cheatham  is  my  enemy  now,  my 
mortal  foe,  who  would  delight  in  any  chance  to  make  me 
wretched  and  effect  my  ruin.  I  shrink  from  informing  either 
mamma  or  George  of  this  repulsive  scene,  for  I  know  that 
mamma  would  worry,  and  perhaps  resent  the  fellow's  pre- 
sumption, while  George,  on  the  other  hand,  might  provoke  a 
quarrel  and  sharpen  into  a  mortal  feud  a  relation  sufficiently 
hostile  as  it  is.  It  is  not  very  likely  that  Mr.  Cheatham  will 
mi  Jest  me  after  this  severe  rebuke  ;  so  let  the  matter  rest,  and 
not  conjure  up  consequences  which  prudence  and  discretion 
may  possibly  avert. 

Sept.  yth.  Last  night  we  three  confederates  held  a  coun- 
cil of  war,  and  determined  upon  a  definite  course  of  conduct. 
Perhaps  matters  would  not  have  come  to  a  crisis  so  soon,  if 
mamma  had  not  incidentally  found  one  of  our  old  Calcutta 
friends,  who  knew  all  about  my  parent's  marriage,  or  at  least 
their  living  together  as  husband  and  wife.  When  mamma 
told  him  of  our  loss  and  asked  him  whether  he  could,  and 
would  testify  in  our  behalf,  he  cheerfully  consented,  and 
placed  himself  entirely  at  our  disposal.  It  was  decided  that 
he  should  call  upon  Mr.  Halleck,  on  the  plea  of  business,  and 
on  that  occasion  see  the  portrait.     As  Mr.   Moulton — this  is 


EITHER,  OR.  55 

his  name — had  seen  papa  shortly  before  his  last  departure 
from  Calcutta,  his  testimony  concerning  the  identity  between 
papa  and  the  picture  would  be  of  great  value,  and  when  he 
told  mamma,  after  his  visit  to  the  bank,  that  he  was  ready  to 
swear  to  his  opinion  that  the  subject  of  the  picture  and  papa 
were  one  and  the  same  person,  mamma  felt  greatly  elated,  and 
fixed  the  decisive  interview  with  the  banker  at  ten  o'clock  to- 
morrow morning.  Both  Mr.  Moulton  and  myself  are  to  be 
witnesses  of  this  interview,  and  I  must  confess  that  I  am  not 
a  little  excited  at  the  prospect. 

Sept.  8th.  The  portentous  interview  is  over.  Like 
Csesar,  we  went,  saw,  but  unlike  him  suffered  a  defeat.  For 
my  part,  I  expected  nothing  else.  We  have  no  legal  proof 
whatever,  to  substantiate  our  claims,  and  George's  delineation 
of  Mr.  James  Halleck's  character  had  prepared  me  to  consid- 
er an  appeal  to  his  generosity,  wasted  breath  and  labor.  Nor 
must  I,  in  justice  to  him,  forget  to  state  here  that  an  acknowl- 
edgment of  our  claim  would  have  been  equal  to  a  renuncia- 
tion of  a  fortune  of  some  fifty  millions,  even  fair-minded  men 
would  have  considered  long  and  carefully,  before  taking.  I 
do  not  mean  to  intimate  that  I  consider  Mr.  Halleck  to  be 
such  a  man  ;  on  the  contrary,  this  morning's  experience  has 
convinced  me  that  he  is  a  weak,  if  not  a  vicious  character,  in- 
capable of  rising  to  grand  self-negation,  a  devotee  to  mammon 
and  its  companions,  influence  and  power.  On  the  other  hand, 
this  morning's  interview  brought  out  more  strikingly  the 
many  noble  traits  of  mamma's  character.  She — but  why 
moralize  ?  I'll  give  a  short  sketch  of  the  incidents  connected 
with  our  visit,  as  such  a  description  will  tell  more  graphically 
than  any  reflections  of  my  own,  the  assertions  made  above. 

We  found  Mr.  Halleck  in  his  private  office.  He  seemed 
little  surprised  at  our  appearance,  wondering,  no  doubt,  of 
what  nature  might  be  the  business  occasioning  the  call  of  a 
trio  so  oddly  compounded.  Mamma  soon  ended  his  uncer- 
tainty, by  saying  in  her  straight  forward  manner:  "'Mr.  Hal- 
leck, we  have  come  to  inform  you  of  the  certain  important 
discoveries  we  have  made  :  discoveries  which  establish  the  . 
most  intimate  relationship  between  you  and  ourselves,  and 
imply  rights  and  privileges  we  are  determined  to  claim." 

The  banker  looked  mystified  and  continued  his  reply  to 
a  wondering  "Madam?"  Mamma  resumed,  pointing  to  the 
portrait  and  betraying  by  the  increased  animation  of  her  voice 
and  features,  a  corresponding  deepening  of  emotions: 

"I  have  no  wish  to  keep  you  in  suspense,  sir.       The   sub' 


56  EITHER,  OR. 

ject  of  this  portrait  was  my  husband,  and  is  the  father  of  this 
young  lady." 

These  words  startled  Mr.  Halleck  to  such  a  degree,  that 
he  rose  to  his  feet,  repeating  the  word,  "madam?"  giving  it  an 
increased  emphasis,  betraying  at  once  wonderment,  incredual- 
ity  and  irony. 

"Mr.  Harry  Halleck  was,  as  I  stated  before,  my  husband, 
and  is  the  father  of  this  young  lady,  my  daughter  Mar)'," 
mamma  continued,  regaining  her  wonted  composure  ."I  trust 
3?ou  will  be  sincerely  glad  when  you  learn  all  the  details  estab- 
lishing the  truth  of  my  statement,  and  receive  us  with  that 
cordiality  which  our  intimate  relationship  demands  and  justi- 
fies.'^ j 

Mr.  Halleck  became  pale  as  a  corpse  ;  then  suddenly  the 
blood  rushed  violently  into  his  face,  coloring  him  to  a  deep 
scarlet,  while  he  replied  : 

"  These  are  strange  assertions,  Mrs. — Mrs. ?  " 

"Brown,"  mamma  said  quietly,  "although  I  trust  that  my 
communications  will  induce  you,  to  assist  us,  in  establishing 
our  claims  to  that  of  Halleck." 

Mamma's  assurance  evidently  increased  the  perplexity  of 
the  banker,  who  said  with  a  hoarse  and  somewhat  shaky 
voice :  "  My  lamented  brother  never  intimated  by  word  or 
mien,  that  he  was  married.  You  need,  therefore,  not  wonder 
at  my  surprise.  And  now,  madam,  you  are,  no  doubt,  pre- 
pared, to  advance  the  legal  proofs  of  your  assertions,  being,  to 
all  appearances,  too  sensible  a  person,  to  expect  me  to  give 
credence  to  such  startling,  and — I  beg  your  pardon — unlikely 
assertions,  without  them."  This  thrust  did  not  discomfort 
mamma,  unable  though  she  was,  to  fortify  her  statements  by 
the  proofs  demanded.  Looking  with  her  honest  eyes  straight 
into  those  of  the  banker,  she  replied  : 

"I  think  I  shall  be  fully  able  to  satisfy  you ;  but  per- 
mit me.  to  give  a  short  account  of  myself  as  well  as  these 
proofs  you  demand,  as  they  are  inseparably  connected."  She 
looked  at  him  inquiringly,  and  when  he  bowed  and  said  ner- 
vously, "  Proceed,"  she  began  to  give  a  clear  and  concise  state- 
ment of  her  marriage,  my  birth  and  education,  and  the  prin- 
cipal features  of  the  eighteen  years  following.  When  she 
spoke  of  the  witnesses  of  the  marriage  ceremony  and  the  cer- 
tificate she  had  secured,  Mr.  Halleck's  lace  paled  once  more ; 
but  when  she  related  the  death  of  the  missionary,  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  church  and  its  records,  and  the  loss  of  the  valuable 
document  by  the  burning  of  the  Albatross,  the  banker's  face 


EITHER,  OR.  57 

resumed  much  of  its  former  assurance,  and  when  at  last 
mamma  had  ended,  he  said  coldly  and  with  considerable  sar- 
casm in  his  tone  : 

"  A  very  pretty  tale,  Mrs.  Brown,  and  well  told,  I  must 
confess ;  but,  in  the  want  of  definite  legal  proofs  you  must  ex- 
cuse me  from  giving  it  implicit  credence,  at  least  as  far  as  the 
identity  of  your  husband  and  my  brother  Harry  is  concerned. 
As  I  told  you  before,  he  never  breathed  to  me  the  existence  of 
a  wife  and  daughter,  and,  under  the  circumstances,  I  must 
politely,  but  firmly  decline,  to  acknowledge  claims  lacking  all 
substantial  confirmation." 

"  Well,  as  far  as  testimony  is  concerned,  here  is  Mr. 
Moulton,  late  from  Calcutta,  where  he  formerly  knew  my 
husband  intimately.  He  will  tell  you,  that  he  is  ready  to  affirm 
by  an  oath  his  belief  in  the  identity  of  my  husband  and  the  or- 
iginal of  this  portrait." 

Mr.  Halleck,  who  had  paled  a  moment  under  these  words, 
now  once  more  regained  his  composure  and  said  with  that 
supercilious  irony  so  hard  to  bear  : 

"  His  belief:  No  doubt,  Mrs.  Brown  ;  but  you  forget  that 
our  courts  will  require  more  than  a  mere  belief,  to  grant 
petitions  of  such  vital  importance.  As  I  said  before  :  As 
long  as  you  fail  to  produce  unquestionable  evidence  for  the 
establishment  of  your  marriage,  and,  above  all,  fail  to  prove 
the  identity  of  your  husband  with  my  lamented  brother,  I 
must  decline  a  relationship  which  though  certainly  enticing, 
involves  considerations  of  too  much  magnitude  and  importance 
to  be  decided  by  romance  and  sentiments  of  gallantry." 

With  these  words  he  rose,  intimating  in  that  way  his  de- 
sire of  ending  our  interview.  We  also  rose,  of  course,  but  be- 
fore leaving,  mamma  advanced  a  step  towards  the  banker,  and 
said  with  an  emphasis  under  which  he  evidently  winced : 

"  Very  well,  Mr.  Halleck,  I  can  and  will  wait ;  but  re- 
member, that  I  shall  make  it  the  business  of  my  life,  to  con- 
vince the  courts  of  the  truthfulness  of  statements  which  you 
deny  and  would  probably  continue  to  deny,  however  fully  and 
deeply  convinced.  Rest  assured  that  we  shall  not  annoy  you 
personally,  even  after  the  full  establishment  of  our  claims  to 
your  brother's  name  and  fortune,  for  the  long  and  intimate  re- 
lations with  your  brother  have  taught  us  to  spurn  a  relation- 
ship so  sarcastically  discussed  and  so  eagerly  disclaimed.  I 
wish  you  good  day,  Mr.  Halleck." 

She  left  the  room  so  proudly  that  one  might  easily  have 
imagined  her  the  victor  instead  of  the  vanquished  part}-.    Nor 


58  HITHER.    OR. 

has  this  defeat  affected  her  spirits  or  peace  of  mind.  When 
George  met  us  in  the  evening  for  consultation,  she  entered 
with  much  animation  into  the  discussion  of  measures  feasible 
and  advisable. 

George  is  not  at  all  sanguine  as  to  the  issue  of  a  combat 
in  the  courts  with  Mr.  Halleck,  unless  we  discover  more  posi- 
tive proofs  of  our  assertions  than  those  at  our  disposal  at 
present.  When  mamma  stated  her  determination  to  search 
for  such  proofs,  he  said  : 

"  You  are  right,  mamma,  and  I  shall  aid  you  with  all  my 
heart.  I  think  we  ought  to  advertise  in  a  guarded  manner  for 
the  seamen  who  witnessed  a  marriage  ceremony  in  the  mis- 
sionary church  of  Yoko,  on  the  25th  of  July,  iS — .  It  is  not 
very  probable,  that  such  an  advertisement  will  reach  these 
ignorant  tars,  even  assuming  the  doubtful  fact  of  their  exist- 
ence this  day.  We  might  also  write  to  some  of  your  old 
acquaintances  in  Europe,  to  ascertain  whether  they  or  anyone 
of  them  know  perchance  something  of  Mr.  Brown's  antece- 
dents. Without  further  evidence,  mamma,  I  cannot  in 
conscience  counsel  you,  to  begin  a  combat,  which  would  rap- 
idly consume  your  little  fortune,  and  end  in  another  defeat  " 

Mamma  is  too  sensible,  not  to  see  the  force  of  these  argu- 
ments. vSo,  she  yielded  with  a  good  grace,  conferring  upon 
George  the  power  of  general-in-chief,  promising  due  and  im- 
plicit obedience  to  his  injunctions  regarding  this  case.  After 
this  concession  he  resumed : 

"And  now,  ladies  and  confederates."  he  continued,  "let. 
me  inform  you  that  your  interview  with  Mr.  Halleck  has 
made  my  longer  stay  there  highly  problematical,  and — " 

"Oh,  George;"  mamma  interrupted  him;  "I  never 
thought  of  that.      I  am  truly  sorry  that--" 

"Mamma  there  is  no  occasion  for  any  sorrow  whatever. 
First, my  apprehension  may  be  groundless  and  Mr.  Halleck  may 
not  know,  or  decline  to  resent  my  participation  in  this  conspir- 
acy; or,  if  he  does;  if  he  interrogates  me  concerning  my  relation 
to  you,  I  shall  tell  him  the  truth,  and  take  the  consequences, 
that  is  my  dismissal  from  his  service.  Such  an  occurrence, 
however,  would  only  quicken  my  separation  from  the  bank,  as 
I  have  long  since  formed  the  resolution  of  leaving  it,  partly 
on  account  of  the  hurtful  influence  of  money  upon  even  those 
merely  handling  it,  but  chiefly  on  account  of  the  relation  be- 
tween Cheatham  and  myself,  which  would  make  a  continued 
intercourse  with  him  unbearable.  And  now,  my  friends,  let 
me   sketch    out    to    you  mv    intentions.     I  have  saved  a  few 


EITHER,  OR.  59 

thousands,  which  I  propose  to  invest  in  a  little  manufacturing 
venture.  My  father  used  to  carry  on  a  tannery,  and  being 
familiar  with  all  the  details  of  his  business,  I  deem  myself 
capable  of  carrying  it  on  successfully,  and  support  therewith 
a  helpmate  and  companion,  Say,  Mary,  "Will  you  be  a  good 
girl  and  say  'yes,'  when  I  ask  you  to  marry  me  on  the  first 
day  which  sees  my  tannery  in  operation  ?" 

What  could  I  say  ?  Mamma  favored  the  idea  with  such 
earnestness  that  I  gave  up  all  resistances  as  useless,  and  lay- 
ing my  hand  in  George's,  said  "yes."  Still  he  does  not,  of 
necessity,  fix  the  date  of  the  tying  of  the  knot  upon  to-mor- 
row or  next  week,  as  George  will  await  further  developments 
in  the  bank,  and  may  not  start  his  tannery   for  an  entire  year. 

May  ist.  The  Winter  is  o'er;  Spring  has  set  in,  in  all 
its  beauty,  but  things  are  pretty  much  as  they  were  in  the 
Fall.  Mr.  Halleck  did  not  see  proper  to  inquire  into  George's 
relation  to  the  ladies  which,  at  that  time,  threatened  to  be- 
come such  potent  factors  in  his  life,  and  as  the  unsatisfactory 
condition  of  the  money  market  made  the  establishment  of  any 
new  industry  risky,  George  resolved  to  benefit  by  this  respite, 
and  increase  his  means  for  starting  and  conducting  properly 
his  pet  scheme,  the  tannery.  Yesterday,  however,  he  informed 
us,  that  Cheatham's  hostility  had  become  so  marked  of  late  as 
to  make  an  open  rupture  with  him  not  only  imminent,  but 
unavoidable. 

He  says,  he  was  not  afraid  of  him,  but  considers  a  pru- 
dent retreat  preferable  to  an  ignominious  fight  and  has  there 
fore  fixed  the  ist  of  Oct.  next  as  the  date  lor  the  opening  of 
his  shop.  He  added  laughingly,  that  he  gives  this  early  notice 
so  as  to  cut  off  all  excuses  for  not  getting  ready  in  season,  a 
method  so  popular  amongst  the  lair  sex. 

So,  the  day  has  at  last  been  set,  at  least,  in  as  far  as  it  is 
coincident  with  that  on  which  the  first  hides  are  doomed  to 
lose  their  hair  in  the  tannery.  I  shall  then  be  a  little  over 
eighteen,  rather  young,  I  think,  for  assuming  the  management 
of  my  own  household ;  but  George  tells  me  laughingly,  that 
he  don't  mind  this  much,  as  it  is  a  misfortune  likely  to  be  less 
glaring  twenty  years  hence. 

Sept.  the  15th.  Two  more  weeks  and  the  chapter  of 
maidenhood  will  be  closed,  and  that  of  womanhood,  i.  <?.,  mar- 
ried life  begun.  Mamma  at  first  refused  to  live  with  us,  say- 
ing that  she  had  no  desire  of  earning  the  terrible  reputation  of 
the  mother  in-law  "par  excellence  ;"  but  both  George  and  myself 
coaxed  so  hard  that  she   finally  consented  to   live   with   us. 


60  EITHER.  OR. 

George  has  found  a  tannery  in  the  suburbs  of  Plutopolis,  which 
is  provided  with  all  modern  improvements,  and  can  be  rented 
at  a  low  figure  on  account  ol  the  recent  and  sudden  death  of 
the  owner.  There  is  a  neat  cottage  in  close  proximity,  and 
after  a  close  inspection  of  the  same  by  both  mamma  and  my- 
self, it  has  been  rented,  furnished  and  prepared  for  immediate 
occupation,  both  George  and  myself  feeling  disinclined  to  the 
exposure  and  ridicule  of  a  bridal  trip.  Mamma  has  letted  this 
entire  house,  and  insists  upon  bearing  half  the  household  ex- 
penses, an  arrangement  quite  propitious,  as  George's  means  are 
rather  limited,  and  mamma's  genorosity  will  enable  him,  to 
draw  but  lightly  upon  his  moderate  earnings.  Only  two  more 
weeks.  Dear  me,  I  feel  as  if  that  were  a  long  time,  and  as  if 
a  good  many  things  of  importance  might  happen  during  them. 

Sept.  25th.  Were  the  above  words  prophetic  ?  I  am  al- 
most inclined  to  reply  affirmatively,  for  yesterday  an  occur- 
rence as  startling  as  unpleasant  took  place  in  our  house.  The 
latter  feature  will  be  readily  understood,  when  I  say,  that  Mr. 
Cheatham  had  something  to  do  with  it.  Since  my  rejection 
of  his  offer  he  has  left  me  in  peace,  without,  however,  making 
any  strenuous  efforts  to  avoid  me.  Imagine  therefore,  my  sur- 
prise, when,  last  night,  a  knock  was  heard  at  the  door  of  the  sit- 
ting room,  and  Mr.  Cheatham  entered  in  obedience  to  our  sum- 
mons. He  addressed  himself  to  mamma,  who  begged  him  to 
be  seated,  and  asked  him  what  she  could  do  for  him.  Think- 
ing that  he  wanted  to  pay  his  rent,  I  rose  and  left  the  room, 
not  so  much  with  the  view  of  avoiding  him,  as  to  execute  a 
a  little  commission  given  me  by  mamma.  It  took  me  only  to 
the  next  room,  the  door  of  which  was  a  few  inches  ajar,  thus 
allowing  any  loud  conversation  to  reach  my  ears.  .  At  first  I 
heard  nothing,  but  after  a  minute  or  two  mamma's  voice  rose 
in  pitch  and  volume,  and  I  heard  her  say : 

"  Mr.  Cheatham,  how  can  you  dare  to  make  to  me,  or  rath- 
er ni}T  daughter,  so  degrading  a  proposal  ?  Cease  at  once, 
and — " 

"But,  Mrs.  Brown,  be  reasonable,"  he  interrupted  plead- 
ingly. "Remember,  I  can  make  you  rich  as  Croesus,  and  shall 
sacrifice  my  own  interests,  if  you  will  only  intercede  for  me 
with  Miss  Mar)r." 

At  this  moment  I  heard  mamma's  voice  crying  in  tones 
of  excitement,  quite  unusual  with  her:  "Mary!"  I  hastened 
to  obey  the  summons,  and  on  entering,  saw  mamma  stand- 
ing before   Mr.  Cheatham  in   an  attitude  of  menace,  her  lips 


EITHER,  OR.  61 

curling  with  disdain,  and  her  fine  eyes  flashing  fire.  When  I 
reached  her  side  she  said  hurriedly : 

"Mary,  this  gentleman  informs  me  that  he  has  discovered 
papers  insuring  to  you  and  me  the  possession  of  millions.  He 
is  ready  and  willing  to  deliver  these  papers  into  my  hands  for 
a  very  slight  consideration.  As  this  consideration  involves 
your  future,  I  thought  it  best  to  refer  Mr.  Cheatham  to  you. 
Well,  sir,  here  is  my  daughter.  Repeat  to  her  the  proposition, 
if  you  dare." 

The  fellow  quailed  a  little  under  her  withering  glances, 
but  his  inborn  brazenness  sustained  him  and  he  said  half  in- 
sinuatingly, half  menacingly : 

"  Miss  Mary,  you  are  a  young  lady  of  uncommon  intelli- 
gence, and  it  is  with  an  appeal  to  your  good  sense  that  I  now 
repeat  to  you  what  I  told  Mrs.  Brown  a  few  minutes  ago.  I 
have  discovered  papers  which  establish  beyond  cavil,  your 
claim  to  an  immense  fortune.  You  are  aware  that  I  entertain 
for  you  feelings  of  the  deepest  and  sincerest  devotion.  Can 
you  blame  me,  if  I  now  use  my  discovery,  to  push  my  cause  ? 
Everything  is  fair  in  war,  you  know,  and  you  must  ascribe  it 
to  my  great  affection  for  you,  if  I  couple  my  offer  to  surrender 
these  papers,  with  the  request  to  establish  at  the  same  time 
my  own  happiness,  by  a  grant  of  your  heart  and  hand  ?" 

A  momentary  silence  ensued.  I  had  become  the  prey  of 
conflicting  emotions.  Wrath  at  his  boldness  of  thus  deeming 
me  capable  to  yield  to  mercenary  considerations  in  the  most 
solemn  transaction  of  life,  battled  with  the  dictates  of  pru- 
dence and  discretion.  Unfortunately  I  have  inherited  mam- 
ma's indignation  at  anything  low  and  contemptible,  and  this 
inheritance  now  led  me  to  follow  the  impulse  of  wounded 
pride  and  dignity.  I  walked  in  silence  to  the  door,  and  open- 
ing it  with  an  energetic  jerk,  said  as  calmly  as  my  flying 
pulses  would  permit :  "  Depart,  and  never  dare  to  show  your- 
self in  this  room  again  !" 

The  fellow  did  not  reply.  I  think  he  was  too  enraged  to 
give  vent  to  his  fury  in  words,  but  his  eyes  flashed  fire  and  I 
verily  believe,  if  his  looks  had  possessed  the  power  of  "S/ie," 
he  would  have  killed  both  mamma  and  myself  on  the  spot. 
He  stood  there  in  silence  for  a  few  seconds  ;  then  he  hissed 
between  his  teeth  :  "You  shall  suffer  for  this,"  and  then,  with- 
out a  word  of  adieu,  rushed  from  the  room.  No  sooner  had 
he  disappeared  when  a  strong  reaction  set  in,  causing  me  to 
sink  into  a  chair  and  to  burst  into  a  flood  of  tears.  Mamma 
tried  to  soothe  me,  saying  :  "He  is  not  worthy  of  such  a  man- 


62  EITHER.  OR. 

ifestation  of  regret,"  to  which  I  replied  :  "I  do  not  pity  him, 
mamma;  it  is  anger,  not  compassion,  which  makes  me  cry.  I 
am  calmer  now,  and  fear  my  outbursts  was  more  just  than 
prudent.  Mamma,  that  man  has  become  our  deadly  foe,  and 
woe  to  us,  if  his  chance  and  means  for  hurting  us  is  ever 
equal  to  his  desire." 

Mamma  tried  to  comfort  me,  by  assuring  me  that  Mr. 
Cheatham's  rage  was  as  important  as  intense,  and  that  he 
would  in  all  probability  free  us  from  his  irksome  presence.  In 
this,  however,  she  was  mistaken,  as  he  still  inhabits  his  room, 
and  shows  by  no  sign  or  movement  that  he  intends  to  leave 
it.  Mamma,  on  her  part,  would  give  him  notice  to  leave, 
were  it  not  for  our  early  withdrawal  from  the  premises,  and 
her  unwillingness  of  robbing  our  renter  of  a  lodger  who  pays 
well  and  punctually,  let  his  character  be  what  it  may. 


CHAPTER    III. 


THE    POWER    OF    GOLD— THREE    YEARS    LATER. 

Oct.  i st,  1 8 — .  The  third  anniversary  of  our  wedding 
day  :  What  a  flood  of  thoughts  this  circumstance  conjures 
up  in  my  soul.  They  are  of  a  mixed  nature,  although  joy, 
peace  and  contentment  with  my  fate,  form  an  overwhelming 
majority,  leaving  only  a  few  discordant  elements  in  the  throng. 
George  is  well,  and,  if  possible,  more  devoted  to  me  today, 
than  on  our  wedding  day.  Elinor  and  Richard  are  developing 
into  handsome  and  charming  children,  although  I  sometimes 
notice  in  the  former  marks  of  selfishness  which  remind  me  of 
her  uncle,  the  banker.  Nor  does  her  intellect  seem  as  bright 
as  her  brother's,  discoveries  which  only  increase  my  love  for 
the  child  and  sharpen  the  sense  of  my  responsibility.  For- 
tunately, George  and  I  are  a  unit  on  the  point  of  education, 
both  of  us  believing  that  children  have  rights  as  well  as 
adults,  and  that  the  attempt  of  enforcing  obedience  without 
explanation  or  the  mere  convenience  of  the  parents,  tends  to 
the  formation  of  the  many  wharped  characters  the  world  ex- 
hibits. Of  the  unpleasant  thoughts,  I  will  only  mention 
mamma's  failing  health,  and  the  unsatisfactory  condition  of 
George's  business.  As  to  mamma's  health,  I  cannot  close  my 
eyes  to  the  fact  that  her  days  are  numbered.  We  have  con- 
sulted the  best  physicians  of  the  city  as  to  her  ailments,  and 
all  of  them  agree  that  her  heart  has  a  defect,  which  is  rapidly 


EITHER,  OR.  63 

■developing  and  will  cause  her  death,  as  soon  as  its  normal  ac- 
tion is  impaired.  Mamma  knows  this,  but  is  cheerful  and 
contented  and  displays  fortitude  which  sustains  and  comforts 
George  and  myself;  and  enables  us  to  submit  with  resigna- 
tion to  the  inevitable. 

As  to  George's  business,  an  adverse  fate  seems  to  have 
attached  itself  to  his  heels,  foiling  his  designs,  upsetting  his 
most  rational  calculations,  and  turning  into  losses  the  profits 
his  energy,  industry  and  good  judgment  have  a  right  to  ex- 
pect. There  seems  to  be  some  subtle  influence  in  the  air, 
watching  and  destroying  his  plans  in  the  germ.  When  he 
goes  out  to  buy  hides,  a  rival  has  either  forestalled  him,  or 
offered  such  prices,  that  George  cannot  purchase,  without  the 
definite  certainty  of  a  loss.  When  he  has  secured  good  work- 
men, and  expects  smooth  sailing,  somebody  offers  higher 
wages,  and  poor  George  is  compelled  to  let  the  men  go,  as  he 
cannot  afford  to  pay  more  than  he  does.  Even  the  chemicals 
he  uses,  seem  to  rise  in  price,  as  soon  as  he  needs  them,  and 
all  these  things  have  clouded  a  brow  generally  so  bright  and 
smooth.  To  complete  his  bad  luck,  the  market  is  always  low, 
when  he  wants  to  sell  ;  nor  does  waiting  mend  the  matter,  for 
the  longer  he  waits,  the  lower  the  price  gets.  What  can  it  all 
mean  ?  Is  there  any  such  thing  as  bad  luck  or,  worse,  an  evil 
genius  spoiling  our  best  efforts,  and  defeating  our  plans  ?  I 
trust  not,  for  such  a  thought  is  discouraging,  souring  one's 
temper  and  leading  to  indolence  and  dissipation.  I  do 
not  know  why,  at  this  moment  the  face  of  Josephus  Cheatham 
rises  before  my  mental  eye.  Wouldn't  he  be  an  evil  genius 
with  a  vengeance  ?  But  I  suppose  he  has  by  this  time,  for- 
gotten me  and  the  threat  he  made  on  leaving.  He  has  a 
family  now,  and  wealth  and  station,  in  short,  everything  cal- 
culated to  make  a  man  like  him  happy.  Happy  ?  Hardly,  I 
think,  a  man  of  his  caliber  cannot  be  truly  happy.  Contented 
is  perhaps  a  more  correct  expression,  although  real  content- 
ment can,  in  my  estimation,  be  felt  only  by  a  pure  and  tran- 
quil mind,  qualities  foreign  to  Mr.  Cheatham,  unless  I  greatly 
miscomprehend  his  character.  Why  do  I  think  and  write  of 
him  in  this  manner,  I  wonder?  I  truly  cannot. tell,  for  I  had 
not  thought  of  him,  since  I  ordered  him  from  the  room.  Even 
his  success  in  the  world  left  me  indifferent,  although  both 
mamma  and  myself  guessed,  and  probably  correctly,  that  he 
sold  the  papers  he  alluded  to,  to  the  banker  for  his  daughter's 
hand,  and  a  partnership  in  the  bank.  They  must  have  been 
worth  their  weight  in  gold,  else  so  proud  a  man  as  Mr.  Hal- 


64  EITHER,  OR. 

leek  would  not  thus  have  humored  and  honored  a  mere  up- 
start. I  feel  certain  that  these  documents  contained  the  proofs 
we  have  hunted  so  long,  so  diligently,  and  so  vainly.  I  also 
feel  certain,  that  their  possession  would  have  turned  into  our 
coffers  the  gold  in  the  vaults  of  the  bank  ;  but  if  you  ask  me, 
whether  I  regret  the  rejection  of  Mr.  Cheatham's  offer,  I  reply : 
"  No,  a  thousand  times  no."  A  crust  of  bread  is,  if  shared  by 
dear  George,  a  thousand  times  better  than  the  most  sump- 
tuous fare  with  a  rogue  like  Cheatham.  I  feel  that  I  do  him 
no  wrong  by  branding  him  in  this  manner,  for  a  man  who  can 
make  the  surrender  of  documents  not  his  own,  contingent 
upon  conditions,  is  certainly  a  rogue.  No,  I  do  not  regret  the 
loss  of  papa's  millions  under  the  circumstances,  though  I  wish 
I  had  enough  of  the  money  to  clear  the  brow  of  poor  George. 
He  has  sunk  money  every  year,  until  his  little  fortune  is 
totally  swamped.  Indeed,  I  do  not  see  how  he  could  have 
continued  in  business,  if  mamma  had  not  come  to  his  rescue. 
At  first  he  refused  her  aid,  and  then  you  should  have  seen 
mamma.  She  was  truly  grand  in  her  displeasure,  lecturing 
him  so  effectually  on  the  folly  and  wickedness  of  false  pride, 
that  he  gave  up  and  pleaded  for  mercy.  Mentioning  Cheath- 
am's name  makes  me  think  of  meeting  his  family  in  the  park 
the  other  day.  Mamma,  the  children  and  I  drove  through  the 
park  last  Sunday,  when  we  passed  a  flashy  equipage,  in 
whose  inmates  mamma  recognized  Mrs.  Cheatham.  There 
were  two  little  ones  with  her,  a  boy  and  a  girl,  probably  her 
children.  I  would  have  paid  no  attention  to  them,  if  mamma 
had  not  excited  my  curiosity  by  mentioning  the  lady's  name. 
The  horses  were  prancing  impatiently,  but  their  gait  was  slow, 
and  as  the  carriage  was  coming  towards  us  and  open,  I  had  a 
long  and  searching  look  at  the  envied  mistress  of  so  much 
wealth  and  elegance.  Envied.  How  superficial  is  the  judg- 
ment of  the  world.  This  woman  is  not  enviable,  for  she  cer- 
tainly is  not  happy.  Her  features,  naturally  beautiful,  are 
frozen  into  cold  indifference  and  apathy.  If  it  were  not  for 
this ;  if  this  icy  mask  did  not  effectually  cover  her  soul,  I 
would  expect  to  see  despair  hold  undisputed  sway  there.  Only 
once  when  her  little  daughter  spoke  to  her,  her  features  re- 
laxed for  a  moment,  a  gentler  feeling  enlivening  them,  as  a 
warm  shower  animates  even  the  desert.  But,  like  this  desert, 
her  mien  absorbed  this  shower  in  a  second,  and  nothing  but 
the  icy  rigor  remained.  I  could  not  help  shuddering  at  this 
sight,  and  felt  relieved,  when  the  sad  spectacle  of  wretched 
grandeur  was  lost  from  view.     But  here  is  George  coming 


EITHER,  OR.  65 

home  from  work,  and  supper  is  not  half  ready,  so   fare  thee 
well,  my  Journal. 

:;:  #  *         TWO    YEARS    LATER.         ;;:  '::  *  :;: 

Oct.  1st.  "How  rapidly  time  flies.  We  have  been  mar- 
ried five  years.  Elinor  is  four,  Richard  three  years,  and 
mamma,  dear,  good,  noble  mamma,  has  been  sleeping  in  the 
grave  for  nearly  ten  months.  How  I  miss  her.  How  I  long 
for  her  advice,  her  cheerful,  encouraging  words.  And  yet  I 
feel  that  it  is  best  so,  for  the  last  year  of  her  life  was  one  end- 
less suffering,  which  would  have  intensified  with  every  new 
day.  So  George  and  I  were  compelled  to  school  ourselves 
into  sad  resignation,  and  meet  with  a  sigh  of  relief  the  cruel 
day  which  deprived  us  of  our  best  friend.  It  seems  to  me 
that  the  dark  cloud,  which  from  the  first  overshadowed 
George's  business  ventures,  has  visibly  blackened  since  mam- 
ma's death.  The  years  before  her  death  were  disastrous 
enough,  but  the  one  ending  to-day  shows  a  startling  increase 
of  the  constant  and  unceasing  persecutions  which  poor  George 
is  destined  to  endure,  and  which  is  surely  calculated  to  be- 
wilder the  mind  and  upset  the  judgment  of  the  most  unso- 
phisticated. I  wonder  it  has  not  soured  his  disposition  or 
driven  him  to  apathy  and  indifference,  and  it  is  the  highest 
eulogy  I  can  pronounce  upon  his  mental  vigor,  when  I  say 
that  in  spite  of  these  chronic  persecutions  of  an  evil  fate, 
George  is  to-day  the  same  patient  worker,  the  same  painstak- 
ing planner  as  on  the  da)r  when  he  first  opened  his  tannery. 
When  I  condole  with  him  he  says  encouragingly  :  "Never 
mind,  little  woman  ;  it  is  a  long  lane  which  has  no  turn.  One 
of  these  days  the  imp  that  makes  me  his  target  will  tire  of  his 
work  and  leave  us.  Then  we  shall  make  up  for  lost  time,  in- 
deed we  shall." 

If  it  had  not  been  for  mamma's  little  fortune,  George 
would  have  been  obliged  to  give  up  his  tannery  long  ago.  As 
it  is,  his  business  has  already  swallowed  two  of  the  four 
houses  forming  her  estate,  and  I  am  much  afraid  that  another 
3^ear  will  take  another  house,  leaving  us  only  the  large  one  in 
which  we  lived  when  I  made  George's  acquaintance.  I  think 
at  times  it  would  be  better  to  give  up  the  tannery  and  depend 
upon  the  rent  of  our  houses,  but  when  I  broach  this  subject 
George  shakes  his  head  energetically  and  says  :  "Little  wo- 
man, do  you  think  I  could  sit  still,  live  on  your  bounty  and 
grow  fat  with  indolence  ?  No,  Mary  dear;  ask  anything  but 
that;  unless  you  want  to  lay  me  into  an  early  grave,  do  not 


66  EITHER,  OR. 

ask  me  to  abandon  myself  to  the  existence  of  a  parasite." 

Well,  that  settles  it,  of  course,  but  I  shall  be  very  glad 
when  he  abandons  this  tannery,  which  has  been  a  sink-hole 
from  the  first,  and  will  swallow  up  all  we  possess,  if  we  do  not 
abandon  it  in  time. 

FIVE   YEARS   LATER. 

Oct.  i  st.  Trickle,  trickle,  trickle.  One  drop  of  the 
stream  of  time  falls  after  another,  slowly  but  surely  working 
a  hole  into  the  rock  of  ages.  Soon  our  little  band,  and  with 
it  the  millions  of  human  beings  now  living,  will  be  swept 
away  by  the  current  which  never  returneth.  In  the  recogni- 
tion of  this  awful — I  might  have  said  solemn  fact,  what  does 
individual  weal  or  woe  signify  ?  Is  it  not  rather  rediculous 
for  the  ephemeral  fly  to  complain  about  its  troubles,  or  to  call 
attention  to  its  contentment  and  the  sources  from  which  they 
are  derived?  Yet,  such  is  man,  and  I  may  certainly  be  par- 
doned if  I  indulge  in  recording  here  the  doings,  the  trials  and 
the  pleasures  and  recreations  of  the  individuals  constituting 
this  family.  I  write  it  with  a  sigh  of  relief  that  yesterday 
witnessed  the.  close  of  an  industry  which  slowly  but  surely 
sapped  the  resources  at  our  command.  In  other  words,  George 
sold  the  fixtures  of  the  tannery  to  which  he  has  so  faithfully 
and  persistently  adhered,  trusting  that  every  new  day  would 
break  the  tide  of  ill-luck  which  has  so  stubbornly  and  strange- 
ly dogged  his  steps.  A  stranger,  i.  <?.,  a  person  not  acquainted 
with  dear  George,  might  seek  the  cause  of  this  ill  fortune  in 
him  and  his  poor  management ;  but  against  such  an  insinua- 
tion I  most  solemnly  protest.  True,  I  love  him  with  all  my 
heart,  but  I  am  not  foolishly  blind,  and  assert  again  and  again 
that  there  is  not  a  better  calculator,  a  more  pains-taking  busi- 
ness man,  or  a  more  zealous  worker  in  the  land  than  George 
Woods.  If  you  ask  me  how,  then  I  explain  this  strange 
phenomenon,  I  bow  my  head  in  humility,  and  say :  "I  do  not 
know."  It  goes  against  reason  and  logic  to  imagine  that  some 
persons  are  born  under  an  unlucky  star,  but  with  such  ample 
and  long  continued  experience  as  I  have  had  during  my  mar- 
ried life,  I  am  very  near  getting  superstitious.  It  is  a  pity 
George  did  not  sell  years  ago,  for  then  we  might,  and  probably 
would  have  saved  the  large  house  in  which  we  became  ac- 
quainted with  each  other.  As  it  is,  we  had  to  sell  it  to  satisfy 
several  creditors  of  long  standing,  that  had  become  impatient 
and  would  not  be  put  off  any  longer.  George  realized  $2,000 
from  the  sale  of  the  tannery,  with  which  he  is  determined  to 


EITHER,  OR.  67 

buy  this  cottage,  as  he  intends  seeking  employment  as  a  book- 
keeper in  some  firm.  He  said :  "I  wish  I  had  listened  to 
your  counsel  years  ago,  then  I  would  not  have  squandered 
your  fortune." 

"You  did  not  squander  my  fortune,"  I  interrupted  almost 
rudely.  "I  shall  allow  nobody,  not  even  yourself,  to  thus 
wrong  you." 

"Well,  wasted,  then,"  he  resumed  with  a  good-natured 
smile;  "or  lost,  if  that  term  is  yet  too  severe.  At  all  events,  if 
I  had  obeyed  you,  we  would  now  possess  the  means  of  giving 
our  children  that  education  to  which  they  are  entitled." 

"We  can  do  that  as  we  are,"  I  persisted.  "I  can,  and  do 
teach  them  music  and  the  languages,  and  when  the  time 
comes  for  them  to  frequent  some  college,  we  can  send  them  to 
one  of  those  numerous  and  sterling  institutions  endowed  by 
noble  philanthropists,  dispensing  knowledge  for  a  trifle  or 
gratis." 

George  did  not  reply,  thus  acknowledging  in  silence  that 
I  was  right.  This  brings  mere  vividly  to  my  mind  the  fact 
that  our  children  are  eight  and  nine  years  respectively.  I  ab- 
stain, generally,  from  reflecting  on  their  character;  probably 
from  fear  of  showing  some  preference  or  partiality,  a  weakness 
so  despicable  in  my  eyes.  Yet  I  may  in  justice  say,  that 
while  Elinor  is  rapidly  developing  into  a  very  handsome  child, 
Richard  is  surely  endowed  with  higher  spiritual  gifts  Elinor 
is  rather  slow  in  comprehension,  a  deficiency  for  which  neith- 
er George  nor  I  blame  her.  Nor  do  we  reproach  her  for  her 
vanity  and  selfishness,  traits  of  character  which  she  did  not 
acquire  voluntarily  and  for  which  she  is  more  to  be  pitied 
than  blamed.  Both  of  us  recognize  the  fact  that  her  educa- 
tion is  a  task  of  great  difficulty  and  responsibility,  requiring  all 
the  patience,  sagacity  and  circumspection  at  our  command. 

Nov.  2nd.  George  has  been  so  fortunate  as  to  secure  a 
situation  in  a  dry  goods  firm,  yielding  a  salary  by  no  means 
brilliant,  but  sufficient  for  our  modest  wants.  I  trust  a  new 
era  has  thus  set  in  for  us. 

Dec.  1  st.  This  afternoon  George  came  home  unexpect- 
edly, to  inform  me  that  the  firm  for  which  he  works  has 
changed  hands,  and  that  the  new  pwners  have  no  use  for  his 
services,  bringing  a  competent  and  highly  valued  book-keeper 
with  them.  I  heard  the  news  with  a  sinking  heart,  but  a 
cheerful  countenance,  begging  him  not  to  mind  and  to  look 
for  another  place.     He  says  that  such  is  his  intention,  but  I 


68  KITHKR,  OR. 

notice  that  this  new  streak  of  bad  luck  greatly  oppresses  him. 
He  has  set  out  to  begin  his  researches  at  once. 

Jan.  2nd.  To  day  George  enters  upon  the  duties  of  his 
new  position.  He  speaks  enthusiastically  of  the  kindness  of 
his  employer,  an  insurance  agent,  saying  that  his  duties  are  as 
pleasant  as  his  salary  satisfactory.  I  trust  no  evil  fate  will 
this  time  mar  his  satisfaction. 

April  ist.  Well,  this  time  George's  engagement  promises 
to  hold  out.  I  know  that  his  employer  is  more  than  ordinar- 
ily pleased  with  his  efforts,  and  that  he  will  be  retained  as 
long  as  the  business  is  continued.  Why,  there  he  is  now, 
much  earlier  than  usual.     I  wonder  what  it  can  mean  ? 

April  2nd.  I  knew  from  George's  haggard  face  that 
something  had  gone  wrong.  I  rose  when  he  entered,  and  my 
anxious  look  must  have  betrayed  my  thoughts  against  my 
will,  for  he  smiled  sadly,  saying  :  "You  are  right,  good  little 
woman,  I  have  lost  my  place." 

"But  how  is  that?"  I  inquired  almost  indignantly.  "How 
could  Mr.  Paige — " 

"Mr.  Paige  is  all  right,"  he  said  soothingly,  closing  my 
lips  with  a  kiss.  "Indeed,  he  is  not  to  be  blamed  at  all.  He 
received  such  a  splendid  offer  for  the  good  will  of  his  business 
that  any  one  would  have  jumped  at  it,  you  and  me  included." 

So  he  is  going  to  quit  ?"  I  inquired.  "Well,  can  he  not 
put  in  a  good  word  for  you  with  his  successor?" 

"He  can,  and  what  is  more,  he  did,  but  it  is  the  old  story. 
The  old  clerks  will  be  retained,  and  so  there  is  no  room  for 
me." 

NINE  YEARS    LATER.  :':  * 

Oct.  ist,  18 — .  Yesterday  Mrs.  Laura  Kean,  George's 
sister,  arrived  from  Patropolis  to  take  up  her  abode  in  Pluto- 
polis.  We  both  invited  her  to  live  with  us,  but  this  offer  she 
politely  but  firmly  rejected.  "  You  are  very  kind  children," 
she  said  energetically.  "  In  fact,  I  sincerely  believe,  you  are 
really  too  kind  for  your  own  good,  and  allow  the  world  to  im- 
pose upon  you.  I  like  you  both  immensely  and  shall  be  with 
you  every  day,  but  that  does  not  entitle  me  to  come  between 
you,  and  mar  and  disturb  the  tranquility  of  your  married  life. 
I  have  learned  that  the  little  cottage  across  the  street  is  for 
rent ;  so  I  shall  take  it  and  be  sufficiently  near  you  for  all 
practical  purposes.  You  know  I  draw  a  little  pension  on  ac- 
count of  Kean's  services  in  the  late  war,  and  with  the  interest 
from  the  few  dollars  I  have  saved  I  cannot  only  manage  very 


EITHER,  OR.  69 

well,  but  can  even  slip  a  penny  into  Marys  hands  when  Dick's 
shoes  need  soling.  There  now,  say  nothing  more  about  it.  I 
see  the  drayman  with  the  furniture  I  have  purchased;  so  I 
must  go  over  and  direct  the  unloading,  and  if  you  will  go  with 
me  Mary  and  let  me  benefit  by  your  counsel  and  good  taste  in 
placing  the  furniture,  I  shall  take  it  very  kindly. 

Oct.  15th.  Sister  Laura  is  snugly  domiciled  in  her 
cottage,  and  a  true  blessing  she  has  proved  for  me.  She  is 
keen  as  a  razor  and  energetic  in  no  ordinary  degree,  but  she 
is  also  kindness  personified  and  listens  with  a  touching 
patience  to  everything  I  have  to  tell  her.  The  children,  of 
course,  from  an  endless  source  of  gossip  on  my  part,  and  I 
could  hug  and  kiss  her  a  hundred  times  a  day  for  the  patience 
with  which  she  lets  me  sing  their  praises.  Richard  is  seven- 
teen now  and  a  smarter  and  better  boy  never  delighted  a 
mother's  heart.  He  has  been  in  college  now  for  two  years, 
and  ranks  high  in  all  his  studies,  particularly  in  chemistry 
and  natural  science.  He  knows  more  about  electricity  than 
many  a  practical  operator  and  has  constructed  several 
apparatuses  which  have  created  the  attention  of  his  teachers. 
He  can  now  telegraph  like  the  best  of  them  and  says  that  he 
will  some  day  make  some  great  invention  and  through  it 
secure  millions  for  us.  His  aunt  has  taken  a  great  liking  to 
him,  at  which  I  do  not  at  all  wonder,  for  who  could  become 
acquainted  with  him  and  not  like  him  ?  As  to  Elinor,  she 
does  not  excel  in  her  studies,  plays  and  sings  fairly  well,  and 
has  developed  into  one  of  the  most  beautiful  girls  I  ever  saw. 
I  do  not  say  this  in  pride,  but  rather  in  sadness,  for  I  cannot 
conceal  from  my  troubled  mind  the  truth  that  to  a  girl  of  her 
disposition,  so  much  personal  beauty  is  a  source  of  great  peril. 
She  constantly  attracts  attention,  a  circumstance  which 
naturally  feeds  a  vanity  already  inordinate,  and  fills  her  head 
with  notions  destroying  all  chances  for  serious  study.  When 
I  broached  these  fears  to  Laura,  she  looked  serious  saying 
earnestly  :  "  Well,  Mary,  there  is  danger  in  so  much  beauty, 
and  no  mistake.  In  my  estimation  an  early  marriage  to  some 
good  and  sensible  man  would  be  the  best  thing  for  the  girl  I 
can  think  of."  I  have  also  given  to  Laura  a  detailed  account 
of  the  many  strange  misfortunes  connected  with  George's 
career,  both  as  a  tanner  and  an  employee  in  the  establish- 
ments of  others.  I  told  her  how  he  could  never  keep  a  place 
more  than  a  few  mouths  and  had  little  or  nothing  to  do  the 
last  five  years.  In  fact  his  constant  changes  have  earned  him 
the  totally  undeserved    reputation  of  unsteadiness  and  fickle- 


70  EITHER.  OR. 

ness,  preventing  some  parties  from  employing  him  at  all  and 
reducing  his  chances  for  work  to  sudden  emergencies  and  un- 
expected combinations.  Very  often  when  he  seemed  to  have 
established  himself  in  some  man's  good  graces,  with  the  pros- 
pects of  a  permanent  job,  somebody  stepped  in  and  bought  the 
person  out,  destroying  in  that  manner  George's  chances  of 
being  retained  by  the  new  firm.  Laura  seemed  deeply  inter- 
ested in  this  strange  experience  oi  a  brother,  whose  good  and 
sterling  qualities  she  knows  as  well  as  myself.  She  has  re- 
turned to  this  subject  more  than  once,  asking  numerous 
questions  and  pondering  upon  my  answer  with  a  profoundness 
showing  plainly  that  the  story  has  made  a  deep,  if  not  painful 
impression  upon  her.  However,  some  things  have  occurred 
recently  which  put  this  circumstance  into  the  background. 
A  schoolmate  of  Richard's,  whose  father  commands  a  steamer 
plying  between  Plutopolis  and  Sanitopolis,  making  regular 
trips  around  Cape  Cornu,  has  invited  Richard  to  accompany 
him  on  one  of  these  voyages  which  generally  consume  six 
months.  The  lad  is  almost  beside  himself  with  the  idea  of 
the  bare  possibility  of  making  such  a  wonderful  tour,  and  both 
his  father  and  I  are  only  too  well  inclined  to  humor  him  as  he 
has  proved  himself  a  most  exemplary  student  and  son. 

However,  George  thought  it  best  first  to  consult  his 
teachers,  fearing  that  the  voyage  would  seriously  interrupt  his 
studies  and  thus  materially  mar  his  prospects.  Prof.  Painter, 
however,  encourages  the  idea.  He  says  that  Richard  has 
cultivated  his  mind  at  the  expense  of  his  body,  and  that  this 
voyage  will  no  doubt  exercise  a  most  beneficial  influence  over 
both.  The  Professor  says  that  a  lad  of  Richard's  studious 
disposition  could  not  make  such  a  voyage  without  picking  up 
bits  of  information  calculated  to  enlarge  his  views  and  extend 
his  knowledge.  So  George  tells  me  he  thinks  we  ought  to 
let  the  boy  go.  Of  course  there  are  the  perils  of  the  ocean  ; 
but  in  facing  them  he  escapes  meanwhile  the  perils  of  the 
land,  and  I  therefore  only  smiled  when  George  told  him  he 
could  go.  Richard  is  almost  frantic  with  joy,  i.  e.,  as  far  as  a 
person  of  his  disposition  and  strength  ot  mind  can  become 
frantic ;  for  I  say  it  with  pride  and  unspeakable  satisfaction, 
that  Richard  is  a  lad  who  can  be  trusted  in  each  and  every 
situation  of  lile.  As  the  Captain  leaves  the  day  after  to- 
morrow Richard  has  not  much  time  to  get  ready  and  so  I  will 
have  to  cease  writing  until  he  is  gone. 

Oct.  1 8th.  Dick  has  gone.  I  need  not  tell  here  what 
that  means,  for  every  mother  who  has  a  boy  equally  worthy  of 


EITHER,  OR.  71 

love,  can  imagine  my  feelings.  George  is  quite  pensive,  but 
his  sorrow  is  by  a  plan  which  he  conceived  and  which  he  has 
submitted  to  my  judgment  before  acting  upon  it.  It  is  this  : 
There  are  a  number  of  bag  factories  on  the  banks  of  the  Crab 
River,  some  twenty  miles  north  of  here,  which  consume  a 
good  deal  of  hem  in  the  spring.  George  says  he  has  ascer- 
tained that  all  these  mills  bu}-  what  the}-  need  in  driblets, 
here  and  there,  and  that  a  person  acquainted  with  their  needs, 
and  the  source  of  their  supplies,  could  undoubtedly  secure 
their  trade,  buy  the  hemp  in  Cyclonia,  where  it  is  grown,  and 
make  a  remunerative  speculation  out  of  it.  I  heard  him 
quietly  to  the  end,  then  said  :  "George,  it  looks  safe  enough, 
but  you  know  your  ill-luck  in  anything  of  the  nature  of  a 
speculation,  and  must  therefore  refuse  to  shoulder  the  respon 
sibility  of  the  venture.  I  will  tell  you,  however,  what  you 
might  do  :  "Your  sister  Laura  is  a  person  of  much  sagacity  ; 
ask  her  opinion,  and  if  she  approves  of  the  speculation,  you 
might  engage  in  it." 

"That  is  a  good  idea,"  he  replied  :  "Here  she  comes,  like 
the  wolf  in  the  fable.  Sister  Laura,  come  here  and  give  us 
your  opinion  concerning  a  little  venture  I  am  contemplat- 
ing." 

"Well,  let  us  hear  it,"  she  replied,  quietly  taking  a  chair 
near  me.  George  explained,  looking  at  her  expectantly  when 
he  had  finished.  Laura,  however,  went  into  a  brown  study, 
looking  into  the  air  in  an  absent  manner  and  preserving  a 
deep  silence  for  fully  five  minutes. 

"Well?"  George  at  last  inquired  to  solicit  a  reply.  She 
answered,  by  asking  a  question  in  turn,  a  question  moreover 
so  far  from  the  point,  apparently,  and  so  unexpected  withal, 
that  it  startled  both  of  us.  What  she  asked  was  this  :  "Child- 
ren, have  you  an  enemy  ?  A  person  wishing  you  ill  and  in- 
terested in  your  ruin?" 

"An  enemy  ?"  George  inquired,  evidently  bewildered.  "An 
enemy?  Not  to  my  knowledge  Laura.  What  makes  you 
ask  ?" 

I,  for  my  part,  said  nothing,  but  through  my  mind  it  went 
like  a  flash,  and  before  my  mental  vision  was  printed  in  glar- 
ing letters.  "  Cheatham  .'"  The  process  now  going  on  in  my 
mind  can't  hardly  be  termed  reasoning,  making  logical  deduc- 
tions or  drawing  conclusions.  The  entire  thing  was  more 
like  a  revelation.  All  the  little  annoyances  :  the  specks  of  ill- 
luck  ;  the  shrinkages  in  values,  then  deemed  incidental  ;  the 
transfers    of  agencies  and   firms.     All   these  things  arranged 


72  EITHER,  OR. 

themselves  into  line,  forming  one  continued  chain,  reaching 
from  poor  doomed  George  to  that  fatal  name  in  lurid  light, 
"Cheatham:"  How  could  I  have  been  so  blind ?  How  could 
we  both  have  been  so  blind  ?  Ah.  I  know  the  reason.  ( )ne 
naturally  imagines  a  human  soul  to  live  in  a  human  body,  and 
now  ii  turns  oiit  that  that  man's  body  is  tenanted  by  a  fiend, 
by  a  demon  incarnate,  by — I  cannot  find  a  word  covering  fully 
thedevelish  wickedness  of  that- -that — I  do  not  want  to  wrong 
Beelsebub  by  calling  him  devil;  Alas  !  the  dark  age  is  on  the 
wane,  when  poor  misguided  mortals  believed  in  His  Majesty 
with  the  cloven  hoof;  but  do  we  really  gain  much,  if  we  are 
compelled  to  take  this  imaginary  devil  from  his  hell  and  locate 
him  in  a  human  breast;  nav,  manv  human  breasts? 

But  to  return  to  poor  bewildered  George,  bewildered  be- 
cause his  innate  goodness  incapatiates  him  for  the  conception 
of  so  much  deviltry.  Before  Laura  could  explain,  I  burst  out 
crying  with  a  mixture  of  anguish  and  bitterness :  "Oh, 
George,  she  is  right.  I  see  it  all.  It  is  Cheatham  who  has 
been  your  unlucky  star.  It  is  Cheatham  who  has  dogged  you 
step  by  step,  and  used  his  money,  power  and  influence  to  effect 
his  revenge."  Poor  George  !  He  was  slow,  very  slow,  to  be- 
lieve in  such  utter  depravity  of  human  nature,  but  as  he  sat 
there,  letting  the  past  glide  in  view  before  him  in  the  new 
light  of  Laura's  suggestive  question,  doubt  and  uncertainty 
finally  changed  into  conviction.  He  covered  his  face  with  his 
hands,  groaned  aloud,  and  then  said  bitterly  ;  "  You  are  right 
Mary.      I  see  it  all  now.      How  dreadful.  Oh,  how  dreadful." 

What  could  I  say  to  comfort  him?  Was  it  not  through 
me  that  this  blood-hound  had  been  put  upon  his  track  ?  Was 
it  not  for  my  love  for  him,  his  love  for  me,  that  this  human 
demon  had  marked  him  for  his  prey,  following  him  untiringly 
by  day  and  night,  day  after  day,  month  after  mouth,  year  after 
year?  Poor  George!  Dearly  indeed  have  you  paid  for  your 
victory  over  so  hellish  ariyal. 

Oct.  20th.  George  is  sick,  very  sick.  The  doctor  says  a 
violent  mental  shock  has  unstrung  his  nerves  and  thrown  him 
into  a  brain  fever  and  it  will  require  very  careful  nursing  to 
make  him  well.  He  is  delirious  and  incessantly  begs  some 
imaginary  enemj  to  spare  his  wife  and  children.  Even  his 
ravings  betrayed  his  love  for  us.  He  never  talks  and  thinks 
of  himself,  but  it  is  always  his  dear  ones  he  wishes  to  be 
spared.  Laura  is  a  real  comfort  to  me  now.  Indeed  I  do  not 
know  what  I  would  do  without  her.  I  do  not  know  whether 
I  am   glad  or  sorrv  for  Dick's  absence.     He  would  be  such  a 


EITHER,  OR.  73 

comfort,  but   he  would  also  be  such  a   sufferer,  I   think  it  is 
well  he  is  away. 

Nov.  15th.  George  is  dead!  I  can  write  this  and  write 
it  calmly.  I  think  my  heart  is  petrifying,  else  how  could  I 
write  this,  and  not  wring  my  hands  in  despair  ?  Yes,  my  heart 
is  petrifying,  or  else  sinking  under  the  malady  to  which  mam- 
ma, poor  mamma,  fell  a  victim.  Indeed,  I  have  a  presenti- 
ment that  it  is  so,  and  that  my  days  are  numbered.  At  all 
events  I  will  make  my  last  will  and  testament,  and  enjoin  up- 
on poor  Dick  such  wishes  as  I  desire  to  see  executed.  Dick, 
my  beloved  sou,  thou  art  not  an  ordinary  boy  and  will  under- 
stand thy  mother,  when  she  leaves  to  thee  her  last  and  sole 
legacy,  her  injunction,  to  revenge  thy  parents  upon  the  fiend 
that  destroyed  them. 

Here  the  diary  ended.  Richard  Woods  sat  fully  fifteen 
minutes  lost  in  thoughts,  yielding  to  emotions  of  sorrow.  How 
keenly  did  he  feel  the  loss  of  such  a  mother.  He  now  began 
to  understand  many  things  which  had  been  dark  and  myster- 
ious to  him  before.  Then  his  thoughts  involuntarily  turned 
to  the  monster  in  human  form,  who  had  slain  both  his  parents, 
for  he  felt  convinced  that  they  would  have  lived  through  main- 
more  and  happy  years,  if  his  relentless  persecution  had  not 
killed  them  in  the  prime  of  life.  He  remembered  having 
seen  this  Cheatham  on  several  occasions,  for  he  stood  prom- 
inent in  the  ranks  of  his  countrymen,  filling  the  position  of 
Senator  in  the  National  Congress,  and  exercising  a  powerful 
influence  in  Legislative,  as  well  as  financial  circles.  As  he 
thought  of  this  man,  honored  and  envied  by  thousands;  as  he 
thought  of  the  fiendish  ingenuity  with  which  he  had  ruined 
the  material  welfare  of  his  parents,  and  destroyed  their  lives. 
a  great  wrath  overcame  him.  He  gritted  his  teeth  and  clenched 
his  hands,  and  if  the  subject  of  this  intense  hatred* had  at 
that  moment  made  his  appearance,  Richard  would,  in  all 
•probability,  have  pounced  upon  him  and  torn  him  to  pieces, 
limb  by  limb.  We  are  all  more  or  less  creatures  of  circum- 
stances, and  he  who  lias  had  time  to  reflect  and  weigh  the  con- 
sequences, need  not  look  so  proudly  and  superciliously  upon 
him  who  was  rushed  into  immediate  and  inconsiderate  action. 
Richard  did  not  yield  to  this  frenzy  very  long.     Seizing  once 


74  EITHER,  OR. 

more  the  reius  over  his  passions  which  had  slipped  momen- 
tarily from  his  hands,  he  looked  again  and  said  tenderly : 
"Again  I  vow,  sainted  mother,  that  I  will  faithfully  and  dili- 
gently carry  out  the  injunctions  laid  down  in  these  lines. 
They  cannot  help  being  corrrct,  for  a  soul  which  inspired  the 
sentiments  of  this  diary  will  not,  cannot  demand  of  her  son 
anything  wrong." 


CHAPTER  IV. 

A    STRANGE     LEGACY. 

Richard  broke  the  seal  and  read  as  follows  : 
My  Dear  Son  : — When  you  open  this  letter  you  have  be- 
come more  intimately  acquainted  with  your  parent's  lives  and 
the  motives  influencing  their  action.  You  have  learned  the 
cause  of  those  failures  which  so  frequently  and  strangely 
marred  your  father's  career,  and  finally  produced  his  untimely 
end,  thus  leading  indirectly  to  mine,  for  without  your  father, 
dear  boy,  I  am  merely  the  sunflower  without  the  sun  toward 
which  it  turns.  Like  this  sunflower,  I  drooped  and  withered 
when  the  sun  ceased  to  shed  upon  me  his  genial  light.  I 
would  have  liked  to  live  for  your  sake,  dear  children,  but  am 
neither  afraid  to  meet  death  nor  sorry  at  his  appearance.  Now, 
then,  I  command  you  :  Avenge  your  father's  death  and  mine; 
I  do  not  mean  that  you  shall  imbue  your  hands  in  this  mon- 
ster's blood,  but  be  in  an  instantaneous  and  endless  war  upon 
that  social  system  which  made  him  what  he  is.  Perhaps  he  is 
not  so  much  to  blame  as  we  think  ;  perhaps  he  was  unable  to 
resist  the  powerful  influences  of  his  surroundings;  the  terrible 
temptation  of  lust,  wealth  and  power.  It  is  not  he,  therefore, 
against  whom  I  beg  you  to  direct  your  attack,  but  the  baneful 
social  laws  which  made  him  what  he  is.  I  am  well  aware, 
Richard,  that,  by  making  this  request,  I  do  not  charge  you 
with  a  child's  play,  nor  do  I  thus  secure  for  you  that  which, 
in  the  world's  opinion,  constitutes  happiness.  On  the  contrary, 
I  know  full  well  that,  by  thus  urging  you  to  war  against  the 
pet  sins  of  society,  I  draw  upon  you  the  hatred  of  this  world, 
its  enmity  and  persecution,  agencies  well  calculated  to  cause 
the  most  courageous  to  quail.  It  is  more  than  likely  that 
obedience  to  my  wishes  will  lead  to  a  protracted  martyrdom, 
Richard,  but  remember  that  there  is  a  grand  and  exalted  hap- 


EITHER,  OR.  75 

pin  ess  even  in  such  martyrdom,  exceeding  by  far  the  shallow 
pleasures  of  the  world.  Nor  would  I  have  enjoined  this  mis- 
sion upon  you,  if  I  did  not  feel  that  you  are  capable  of  execut- 
ing it.  Remember,  that  if  you  feel  gratified  by  this  praise,  it 
also  implies  an  obligation  on  your  part ;  an  obligation  to  use 
these  gifts  in  a  worthy  manner,  and  for  useful  purposes.  And 
now  you  would  probably  inquire  :  "Mother,  dear,  what  would 
you  wish  me  to  do,  and  how  would  you  advise  me  to  execute 
the  work  in  store?"  My  dear  son,  I  hardly  know  whether  I 
am  able  to  set  up  a  standard  such  as  you  desire,  but  I  shall  try 
to  draw  a  few  general  outlines  for  the  stupendous  work  in 
store  for  you. 

The  unequal  and  unjust  distribution  of  the  goods  of  this 
world  lies  undoubtedly  at  the  bottom  of  all  the  misery  of  our 
race,  and  this  unfair  distribution  is  in  turn  based  upon  the 
ignorance  and  superstition  of  the  masses.  I  need  hardly  tell 
you  that  it  would  be  a  task  both  useless  and  thankless  to 
appeal  to  the  rich  for  a  surrender  of  their  wealth.  It  was 
greed,  avarice  and  unfairness,  in  the  first  place  which  put  them 
in  possession  of  their  riches,  and  these  very  vices  would  pre- 
vent them  from  listening  to,  and  obeying  your  exhortations. 
It  is  the  removal  of  the  ignorance  and  superstition,  therefore, 
to  which  you  will  have  to  turn  your  attention.  You  knew  my 
sentiments  as  to  religion  and  that  I  advocate  the  most  un- 
limited liberty  of  conscience  ;  but  there  are  doctrines  my  son, 
which  sap  the  very  foundation  of  liberty  and  equal  rights.  As 
long  as  a  creed  confines  itself  to  the  so  called  spiritual  welfare 
of  its  devotees,  leave  it  alone.  But  when  its  expounders  per- 
suade the  people  to  abandon  the  solid  rights  and  privileges  of 
this  life  for  the  uncertain  blessings  of  the  shadowy  hereafter ; 
when  they  exhort  their  dupes  to  tolerate  the  usurpations  of 
their  oppressors ;  when  they  tell  them  that  their  celestial 
happiness  will  be  in  proportion  to  the  spoliations  they  have 
patiently  endured  in  this  life  :  Raise  your  voice  in  vigorous 
and  earnest  protestations  against  such  doctrines  and  denounce 
preachers  who  side  with  the  rich  and  use  their  influence  over 
their  deluded  followers,  to  tolerate  usurpations  as  shocking  as 
they  are  extensive.  Such  preachers  my  boy  are  in  my  opinion 
little  better  than  the  pirates  themselves. 

To  enlighten  the  masses  you  should  go  among  them,  be 
one  of  them,  and  use  language  adapted  to  their  comprehension. 
Do  not  promise  them  too  much  for  the  people,  the  common 
people,  are  shrewd,  and  much  inclined  to  be  distrustful.  What 
is  more,  my  dear  boy,  do  not  aim  at  too  high  a  goal  yourself. 


76  EITHER.  OR. 

To  place  your  haven  on  a  rock  towering  to  the  clouds  is  well 
enough  in  theory  ;  but,  if  the  top  is  inaccessible,  what  good 
will  it  do? 

Your  enthusiasts  will  tell  you  to  trus.t  to  evolution  ;  but 
evolution  as  I  take  it,  implies  our  own  efforts.  Every  fair- 
minded  person  will  admit  that  we  are  now  living  in  a  social 
mire  threatening  to  swamp  the  entire  race.  Then  if  you  can- 
not reach  your  rock  in  the  sky,  be  satisfied  to  drain  your 
morass,  thus  lifting  mankind  upon  a  sounder  and  better  plat- 
form, a  basis  from  which  grander  and  nobler  purposes  are 
reachable. 

In  conclusion  I  will  say,  that  in  order  to  be  successful  in 
such  a  work  as  I  have  staked  out  for  you,  you  must  prepare 
for  it  in  the  profoundest  manner.  You  must  not  only  fill 
your  mind  with  the  soundest  knowledge,  but  exercise  your 
body  in  the  severest  manner.  You  should  excel  in  every 
manly  sport,  become  a  perfect  horseman,  an  expert  swimmer, 
a  skillful  marksman  and  an  adroit  fencer.  You  should  become 
an  athlete,  a  wrestler  and  a  boxer  ;  in  short,  you  should  be 
capable  of  defending  yourself  in  all  manners  of  assault ;  for 
oh,  my  dear  doy,  it  would  be  useless  to  conceal  from  you  the 
fact  that  such  assaults  will  be  made  on  you  most  viciously  and 
determinedly,  not  only  by  your  foes,  but  also  by  the  very  ones 
for  whom  you  labor.  I  do  not  say  this  to  discourage  you 
Richard,  but  to  impress  deeply  upon  your  mind  the  necessity 
of  a  thorough  preparation.  If  you  can  secure  wealth  to  aid 
you,  do  so.  Let  me  caution  you  here,  my  boy,  not  to  underrate 
the  power  of  gold  in  the  work  mapped  out  for  you.  If  gold 
enables  the  oppressors  of  our  race  to  keep  the  masses  in 
slavery  and  subordination  it  stands  to  reason  that  it  must 
also  be  a  powerful  agent  in  effecting  its  liberation.  Try  then 
to  obtain  a  weapon  which  will  enable  you  to  fight  the  foe  in 
his  own  peculiar  fashion,  but  while  you  accumulate  gold,  and 
much  gold,  be  sure  to  keep  the  masses  ignorant  of  the  fact, 
for  the  average  fellow  will  never  pardon  you  for  being  smarter 
than  himself  and  envy  you,  although  you  may  faithfully  spend 
your  last  penny  in  his  behalf.  You  may  smile  at  these  sug- 
gestions, and  call  them  little;  but  remember,  my  dear  boy  that 
it  is  not  always  the  strongest  that  wins  the  battle,  and  that 
you  are  destined  to  fight  a  foe  too  powerful  to  meet  in  open 
battle  and  too  subtle  and  mean  to  despise  ambushes  and  strat- 
agems. 

I  have  taught  you  French  and  German.  Before  you  en- 
ter upon  a  war,  which  will  probably  end  only  with  your  own 


EITHER,  OR.  77 

-existence,  visit  the  countries  where  these  languages  are  spok- 
en, and  confer  with  those  advanced  master  minds  who  have 
made  the  social  iniquities  of  this  era  a  deep  and  exclusive 
study.  Warm  your  heart  at  their  own  ardor,  and  let  the  mag- 
nificence of  their  theories  enlighten  the  most  remote  recesses 
of  your  soul ;  but  while  you  revere  the  grandeur  of  their  con- 
ceptions and  appreciate  the  logic  of  their  deductions  and  con- 
clusions, keep  this  intellectual  feast  to  yourself,  and  do  not  let 
the  extremeness  of  their  views  imperil  the  success  of  your 
own  endeavors.  I  do  not  know,  my  dear  boy,  whether  I  shall 
continue  to  exist  after  laying  down  this  mortal  coil ;  but  if,  as 
I  fondly  hope,  the  teachings  of  this  Spiritualism  are  correct, 
and  the  finer  and  ethereal  portion  of  our  being  survives,  I 
shall  be  often  with  and  around  you,  and  impart  to  you  such 
superior  knowledge  as  my  new  and  more  exalted  existence 
ma}-  enable  me  to  secure.  My  fondness  would  urge  me  to 
continue  these  lines  for  evermore,  but  human  frailty  steps  in, 
saying:  "Halt?  No  further!"  I  obey,  because  I  am  com- 
pelled :  but,  in  closing,  I  once  more  enjoin  upon  you  to  reflect 
upon,  and  if  possible,  humor  the  last  wish  of  your  affectionate 
mother,  ■  Mary  Woods. 

When  Richard  had  finished  his  eyes  continued  to  dwell 
upon  that  cherished  name,  but  his  thoughts  wandered  back 
into  those  days  when  it  had  been  his  privilege  to  enjoy  the 
company  and  instructions  of  the  writer.  He  now  saw  more 
clearly  than  ever,  how  good  and  how  wise  had  been  the  wo- 
man he  had  the  good  fortune  to  call  mother.  He  gazed  with 
both  reverence  and  awe  at  the  wonderful  combination  of 
greatness  and  simplicity  displayed  in  her  last  missive  to  him. 
While  capable  of  grasping  ideas  of  such  magnitude  as  an  at- 
tempt of  reforming  society  implies,  she  did  not  lose  sight  of 
such  details  as  the  case  required ;  details  which  a  member  of 
the  strongest  sex  would  probably  have  overlooked  at  the  peril 
of  a  partial,  if  not  total  failure.  His  mind  rose  up  to  hers, 
and  he  felt  the  influence  of  this  communion  so  strongly,  that 
he  was  almost  convinced  of  her  presence.  While  his  lips  re- 
mained closed  his  thoughts  took  shape  in  words,  addressed  to 
her  to  this  effect  :  "Mother,  dear,  I  need  not  tell  you  that  I 
shall  obey  your  commands  in  spirit  and  in  letter,  for  your 
.spirit,  freed  from  the  fetters  of  earthly  clay,  is,  no  doubt,  cap- 


78  EITHER,  OR.      ■ 

able  of  reading  my  thoughts  as  they  take  shape.  I  do  not 
merely  submit  to  your  superior  judgment,  but  glory  in  the 
work  you  urge  me  to  undertake.  If  I  err ;  ii  I  fail  to  carry 
out  the  spirit  of  your  grand  ideas,  oh  !  descend  and  enable  me 
to  perceive  my  mistake;  and,  if  in  your  power,  show  to  me  the 
splendor  of  your  immortality,  thus  bestowing  upon  my  mind 
and  bod}-  the  strength  necessary  to  carry  out  to  the  fullest  ex- 
tent, the  plans  for  the  amelioration,  nay  rejuvenation  of  the 
human  race  !" 

He  sat  so  still  that  the  ticking  of  the  clock  on  the  wyall 
seemed  rather  noisy  in  the  deep  stillness.  When  Mrs.  Kean 
softly  opened  the  door,  half  an  hour  later,  Richard  was  in  the 
same  attitude  we  described.  She  did  not  wish  to  disturb  him, 
and  was  on  the  point  of  closing  the  door  when  he  turned  his 
face  to  her,  and  said  :  "Come  in,  aunty,  I  have  finished  read- 
ing the  papers  half  an  hour  ago,  and  was  merely  pondering 
their  contents." 

She  obeyed,  and  sitting  down  on  the  chair  opposite  to 
him,  looked  inquiringly  in  his  face.  He  thought  he  saw  a 
shade  of  anxiety  in  this  look,  so  he  hastened  to  add:  "Fear 
nothing,  Aunt  Laura,  she  has  asked  nothing  improper  of 
me." 

"I  knew  that,  of  course,  but  my  dear,  she  has  asked  some- 
thing of  you  which  will  make  you  a  martyr,  or  least  unhappy, 
for  the  rest  of  your  life." 

"I  hope  not,  Aunt  Laura.  Here  is  her  letter  :  Read  for 
yourself."  She  obeyed,  and  read  the  letter  carefully;  yes, 
twice,  before  she  looked  at  him  and  said : 

"  A  remarkable  letter,  Richard,  and  a  remarkable  woman." 

He  merely  nodded,- but  looked  at  her  so  searchingly  that 
she  caught  slightly  and  went  on  : 

"You  want  to  know  what  I  think  of  it?  Well,  I  can  only 
add 'A  dangerous  letter."' 

"Dangerous?"  he  inquired  wonderingly. 

"  Why  yes,  and  I  see  it  has  done  its  mischief  already. 
Tell  me  Richard,  have  you  not  made  up  your  mind  to  obey 
its  injunctions?  " 


EITHER,    OR.  79 

"I  have,  aunt  Laura,  but  how  does  that  make  the  letter 
dangerous?" 

"My  boy."  she  repeated  gravely,  "you  can  hardly  have 
read  the  letter  carefully  and  attentively.  Did  she  not  tell  you 
that  dangers  of  all  sorts  would  beset  you  in  consequence  of 
obeying  its  mandates?" 

"Ah!  I  see;  but  that  does  not  make  the  letter  dangerous, 
does  it?" 

"Well,  then;  its  powerful  persuasion,  its  eloquence,  its  im- 
pressiveness,  make  it  dangerous.  Have  you  not  yielded  to 
its  charms  and  vowed  to  obey  its  dictates?  " 

"In  a  measure — yes.  In  a  measure  I  have  vowed  to  obey 
its  injunctions  because  they  are  the  last  ones  a  beloved  mother 
left  me  ;  but  the  principal  charm,  Aunt  Laura,  lies  in  the  truth- 
fulness of  its  statements,  the  urgent  necessity  of  the  reforms 
it  demands,  and  the  sudden  but  deep  conviction  that  a  human 
life  could  not  well  be  spent  in  a  grander,  nobler  and  holier 
cause." 

His  aunt  looked  at  him  with  a  mien  intending  to  convey 
reproach.  Her  brow  was  slightly  wrinkled  but  her  mouth 
twitched  suspiciously,  and  her  eyes  looked  a  good  deal  like  a 
volcano,  which  is  at  rest,  but  from  which  flames  may  be  ex- 
pected to  break  forth  at  any  moment.  She  said  with  a  slight 
tremor  in  her  voice: 

"Your  mother  has  been  fair  enough  to  mention  the 
danger  connected  with  such  an  enterprise.  I  now  call  to 
your  attention  its  difficulty,  nay  utter  hopelessness.  The 
tilt  of  Don  Quixote  against  the  windmill  was  child's  play  in 
comparison  with  your  task." 

"  I  know,  Aunt  Laura,  but  you  forget  what  my  dear  mother 
says  on  that  point:  If  I  cannot  draw  down  the  summit  of  the 
rock  of  excellence  I  can  at  least  attempt  to  drain  the  swamp 
at  its  base." 

At  this  moment  the  fire  broke  forth  from  the  volcano. 
Mrs.  Kean  smiled  upon  her  nephew  in  the  most  approving 
manner,  and  seizing   his  hand    with  considerable   ardor  she 


So  EITHER,  OR. 

pressed  and  shook  it  with  a  refreshing  heartiness.  "You  are  a 
noble  lad,  Dick,"  she  cried  with  tears  streaming  over  her 
cheeks,  "and  what  I  can  do  to  further  and  support  your  plans 
I  shall  do  with  all  my  heart  and  strength,  which  is,  of  course, 
but  a   woman's — but — ." 

"A  noble  and  resolute  woman's  whom  I  am  glad  and 
proud  to  acknowledge  as  an  ally.  But  the  windmill, 
aunt  Laura,  remember  the  windmill." 

There  was  a  mischievous  twinkle  in  his  eyes  when 
he  said  this,  but  Mrs.  Kean  was  not  easily  discomfited. 
Smiling      good      naturedly      she      responded:  "Thanks 

for  your  considerate  reminder.  I  still  cling  to  my 
conviction  that  our  undertaking  is  worse  than  that  mem- 
orable tilt ;  but  I  think  I  have  as  good  a  right  to  wear 
a  certain  cap  as  any  other  member  of  the  family,  and 
and  having  once  donned  that  becoming  head-dress  I  am 
determined  to  do  it  credit.  But  it  is  getting  late  Dick  so 
please  put  your  "Roisnante"  into  the  stable  and  allow  me  to 
conduct  you  to  the  garret  room  which,  henceforth,  is  to  be 
your  domicile." 


CHAPTER  V 


PREPARATIONS. 


The  following  morning,  during  the  absence  of  Richard, 
who  had  gone  to  get  his  trunk  at  the  depot,  Mrs.  Kean  re- 
ceived the  following  letter  : 

Shoatopolis,  August  2d,  18 — 
Mrs.  Laura  Kean  . — 

Dear  Madam  : — I  am  sorry  to  inform  you  that  Elinor 
Woods  is  lying  dangerously  ill  with  the  brain  fever,  at  the 
hospital  of  the  Sisters  of  Merc}-,  in  this  city.  She  was  found 
in  a  delirious  condition  in  her  room,  about  a  week  ago,  and  at 
once  removed  to  the  hospital.  Her  condition  prevented  me 
from  getting  any  clue  regarding  her  people,  and  I  would  not 
have  been  able  to  notify  you  of  her  sickness,  if  I  had  not  by 
mere  chance,  discovered  a  book  in  her  room,  bearing  on  the 


EITHER,  OR.  81 

title  page  your  name  as  the  donor.     The  condition  of  your 
niece  is  precarious  in  the  highest  degree,  and  if  you  or  any 
other  relative  desire  to  see  or  nurse  her,  you  had  better  use 
dispatch,  as  the  fever  may  terminate  fatally. 
Yours  very  respectfully, 

James  Sawbone,  M.  D. 

The  letter  had  been  sent  to  Patropolis,  Mrs.  Kean's  for- 
mer residence,  making  it  fully  a  week  old  and  filling  Mrs. 
Kean's  heart  with  anxiety  and  anguish.  Her  first  thought  was 
of  Dick,  poor  Dick,  as  she  ejaculated  half  loud,  and  for  a  mo- 
ment wavered,  as  to  the  best  course  to  pursue.  Should  she 
conceal  the  news  from  him?  For  a  moment  she  was  sorely 
tempted  to  adopt  that  policy,  feeling  the  keenest  compassion 
for  a  lad  she  loved  so  well,  a  lad,  moreover,  whose  endurance 
had  already  been  taxed  to  the  utmost.  On  second  thought, 
however,  she  dismissed  this  idea  as  unworthy  of  both  her  and 
him,  and  instead  made  some  hasty  preparations  for  the  journey 
which  would  in  all  probability  result  from  her  communication 
of  the  bad  news  to  him.  She  was  still  engaged  in  filling  a 
small  valise  when  she  heard  wheels  before  the  cottage  and 
soon  after  saw  her  nephew's  face  which  looked  so  cheerful 
under  the  influence  of  the  errand  that  she  quailed  under  the 
thought  of  the  necessity  of  plunging  him  anew  into  grief  and 
anxiety.  Her  face,  however,  reflected  her  feelings,  for  Rich- 
ard looked  at  her  inquiringly  and  asked  sympathetically: 
"What  is  the  matter jiow,  aunty.  Has  any  one  bothered  you 
during  my  absence?" 

"I  wish  it  was  no  worse  Dick.  I  am  sorry  to  tell  you 
that  I  have  a  letter  from  Shoatopolis,  informing  me  that  your 
sister  lies  dangerously  ill  in  a  hospital  of  that  city,  and  that 
we  had  better  hurry  if  we  wish  to  see  and  nurse  her." 

A  severe  blow  is  apt  to  make  a  second  one  less  painful. 
True,  Richard  was  much  attached  to  his  sister,  but  her 
loss  could  hardly  be  compared  with  that  of  his  parents;  so  he 
struggled  manfully  for  self  possession,  and  asked  with  a  calm- 
ness surprising  to  his  relatives:     "Sick?     Very  sick,  aunty  ?" 

"Yes  Dick,  she  has  the  brain  fever,  and  as  we  must  go  to 


82  EITHER,  OR. 

her  without  the  loss  of  a  minute,  I  got  some  of  my  things 
ready.  Are  you  supplied  with  everything  necessary  for  the 
journey?" 

"All  except  money,  aunty,  which  is  an  unknown  quantity 
with  me  just  now." 

"Never  mind  the  money  Dick.  I  have  enough  for  both  of 
us,  and  you  must  allow  me  to  be  your  banker." 

"Well,  I  will  aunty,  provided  you  allow  me  to  pay  you 
back  in  due  season  with  compound  interest.  Do  you  know 
when  the  next  train  for  Shoatopolis  leaves?  " 

"Yes,  Dick.  I  examined  the  paper  and  find  that  the 
limited  express  leaves  exactly  at  twelve.  If  you  hurry  we 
can  just  make  it." 

Instead  of  replying,  the  youth  carried  in  the  trunk  from 
the  sidewalk,  hastily  stuffed  a  few  articles  of  clothing  in  his 
valise  and  ten  minutes  later  announced  himself  ready  for  de- 
parture. His  aunt  charged  him  with  her  own  little  traveling 
bag,  locked  the  door,  and  then  led  the  way  to  the  street-car 
which  at  that  moment  came  in  sight.  We  need  not  follow 
them  step  by  step,  but  anticipate  their  arrival  in  Shoatopolis, 
which  city  they  reached  just  thirty-six  hours  after  their  de- 
parture from  Plutopolis.  On  inquiry  they  found  that  the  hos- 
pital of  the  Sisters  of  Mercy  lies  a  few  miles  outside  the  city 
limits;  but  as  a  street  car  line  passed  it  in  close  proximity  they 
reached  the  institution  thirty  minutes  after  their  arrival  in  the 
city.  With  an  anxious  heart  they  pulled  the  bell,  which  was 
answered  by  one  of  the  Sisters,  who  on  their  inquiry,  informed 
them  that  Miss  Woods  was  better,  but  hardly  out  of  danger. 
She  led  them  to  Dr.  Sawbone's  office  where  they  found  that 
worthy  engaged  in  compounding  some  medicine.  On  learn- 
ing the  nature  of  their  errand,  he  congratulated  them  on  the 
recovery  of  their  friend,  remarking  with  a  shake  of  his  head  : 
"She  was  sick,  you  better  believe.  Indeed,  at  one  time  I 
would  not  have  given  a  row  of  pins  for  her  chances." 

"Can  we  see  her?" 

"I  reckon  you  can,  though  it  is  more  than  likely  she  will 
not  recognize  you.     Her  brain  is  still  affected  by  the  fever, 


EITHER,  OR.  83 

and  it  is  my  opinion  that  it  may  remain  so,  if  not  always,  at 
least  for  a  considerable  length  of  time.  Sister  Clara,  will  you 
be  kind  enough  to  take  these  people  to  the  room  of  the 
patient?" 

The  Sister  started  without  saying  a  word,  inviting  the 
strangers  with  a  motion  of  her  hand,  to  follow  her.  After 
ascending  a  flight  of  stairs,  and  traversing  several  corridors, 
she  stopped  at  a  door  and  whispered :  "I  need  not  urge  the 
necessity  of  caution.  The  patient  is  still  very  weak,  and  the 
doctor  says  that  a  sudden  shock  may  bring  on  a  fatal  re- 
lapse." 

Then  she  opened  the  door,  and  allowed  her  companions 
to  enter  a  plain  but  clean  and  comfortable  room,  in  whose  far 
corner  they  discovered  the  object  of  their  visit  stretched  on 
an  iron  bedstead.  A  nurse  sat  at  her  side,  watching  the 
patient,  who  was  evidently  awake,  but  apparently  unconscious 
of  her  surroundings.  Her  eyes  were  fixed  upon  the  ceiling. 
Her  face  was  thin  and  white  as  a  sheet,  but  still  retained 
traces  of  that  extraordinary  beauty  mentioned  in  her  mother's 
diary  as  a  source  of  peril  and  anxiety.  Sister  Clara  whispered 
to  the  nurse,  who  nodded  affirmatively. 

"You  may  speak  to  her  Friends,"  she  said  :  "Sister  Anna 
thinks  she  is  much  better,  and  can  stand  it." 

Upon  this  Richard  stepped  closer  to  the  bed-side  and  said 
gently,  but  twith  a  slight  tremulousness  he  could  not  totally 
conquer : 

"Elinor  !  Sister  Elinor :     How  are  you  this  morning?" 
The  patient  slowly  turned  her  gaze  to  him,  causing  it  to 
dwell  there  without  any  sigh  of  recognition. 

"I  am  pretty  well,"  she  said  in  a  very  feeble  voice;  "but 
who  are  you  ?     Did  Arthur  send  you  to  take  me  to  him  ?" 

Richard  knew  enough  of  the  events  of  the  last  months, 
to  reply  intelligently.  "I  am  Richard,  your  brother  Richard, 
Elinor,  who  has  come  to  take  care  of  you.  And  here  is  Aunt 
L,aura.     Don't  you  recognize  her?" 

"I  want  Arthur,"  the  patient  replied,  without  heeding  his 


84  EITHER.  OR. 

question.  "Why  don't  he  come?  Or  why  don't  you  take  me 
to  him?" 

"That  is  the  one  idea  she  harps  upon,"  Sister  Clara  whis- 
pered to  Mrs.  Kean ;  "she  imagines  she  is  married,  and  that 
her  husband's  name  is  Arthur  Roberts." 

"There  is  no  imagination  about  it,"  Mrs.  Kean  replied  in 
the  same  low  tone,  but  rather  sharply.  "She  is  married,  and 
her  name  is  Roberts." 

Before  the  Sister  could  reply,  Richard  said  to  the  patient : 
"Have  a  little  patience,  sister  dear.  All  will  be  right,  and  we 
shall  take  you  where  you  wish  to  go,  as  soon  as  you  are  strong 
enough.  " 

Then  Mrs.  Kean  stepped  forward,  and  said,  bending  lov- 
ingly over  the  convalescent : 

"Yes,  dear,  get  well,  and  we  shall  take  you  home.  How 
do  you  feel  to-day?" 

"I  am  better;  I  am  nearly  well.  Take  me  away  from 
here  and  to  Arthur,  who  will  wonder  what  has  become  of 
me.     Did  you  see  him  lately  ?" 

"I  did  not  child,  but  shall  try  to  find  him.  But  here  is 
your  nurse  with  some  gruel.  Think  of  nothing  but  getting 
well  now,  for  as  long  as  you  are  so  weak  the  doctor  will  not 
allow  you  to  leave  here." 

Then  they  said  good  bye,  for  the  nurse  persisted  in  the 
close  of  a  conversation,  which  might  tax  her  brain  beyond  its 
power  of  endurance.  The  patient  manifested  no  interest  in 
their  departure,  allowing  them  to  leave  the  room  without  even 
following  them  with  her  eyes.  When  they  had  reached  the 
corridor,  Sister  Clara  stopped.  Drawing  a  letter  from  her 
pocket  and  handing  it  to  Mrs.  Kean,  she  said  : 

"This  was  found  in  your  niece's  pocket  when  we  took  her 
to  the  hospital.  Thinking  that  it  might  lead  to  the  discovery 
of  her  friends,  I  read  the  contents.  No  one  but  myself  knows 
of  its  existence,  and  as  for  me,  my  vow  is  a  sufficient  guaran- 
tee for  my  discretion.     That  is  all." 

With  these  words  she  resumed  her  office  as  a  guide,  and, 


EITHER,  OR.  85 

on  reaching  the  door,  parted  from  the  visitors  with  a  gentle 
"farewell !"  and  a  benignant  smile.  Our  friends  proceeded  in 
silence  to  the  street  car  track,  entered  the  first  car  which 
showed  itself,  and  sank  into  the  seat  without  having  spoken  a 
single  word.     At  last  Mrs.  Kean  said : 

"I  think  Elinor  is  out  of  danger,  and  will  soon  be  well 
enough  to  be  taken  home." 

Richard  merely  nodded  his  head ;  so  she  continued : 

"I  think  we  had  better  take  rooms  in  some  hotel 
and  wait  until  she  is  well  enough  to  travel.  What  do  you 
think  of  her  condition?" 

"I  hardly  know  what  to  think.  She  seems  to  be  free  from 
fever,  and  yet  her  mind  wanders.  I  fear  it  was  not  so  much  the 
brain  fever  which  upset  her  mind,  as  some  shock  prior  to  her 
sickness,  and  probably  the  cause  of  it." 

"I  fear  you  are  right.  This  letter  probably  contains  the 
clue  to  the  whole  sad  affair,  and  much  as  I  fear  its  contents, 
we  must  read  it,  as  soon  as  we  reach  the  privacy  of  our 
room." 

Half  an  hour  later  they  had  secured  lodgings  in  the 
"Phoenix,"  and  when  they  had  changed  their  traveling  suits 
and  seated  themselves  near  one  of  the  windows  of  Mrs.  Kean's 
apartment,  that  lady  drew  from  her  pocket  the  letter  in  ques- 
tion, handed  it  to  her  nephew,  and  said  laconically  :  "Read." 
The  youth  obeyed,  unfolded  the  epistle,  and  read  as  fol- 
lows : 

Shoatopolis,  July    15th,   18 — . 

Machere  :—  It  pains  me  to  inform  you  that  the  play  is 
over.  For  me  it  has  been  a  comedy,  and  it  is  with  the  desire 
of  preserving  its  character  that  I  write  this  letter,  and  say  to 
you  "Adieu."  I  trust  you  have  enough  good  sense  not  to 
make  our  little  play  a  tragedy  on  your  part.  It  is  a  pity  you 
are  not  as  clever  as  you  are  beautiful ;  else  I  might  not  have 
tired  of  you  so  soon,  and  prolonged  the  drama  ad  infinitum. 
Dullness  is  very  tiring,  and  you  must  admit  that  you  are  dull. 
Dullness  worries  me  more  than  I  can  tell,  and  as  I  have  no 
desire  to  let  you  suffer  from  the  irritation  produced  by  too 
much  tenderness  and  too  little  "esprit,"  on  your  part,  I  say. 
"Adieu."     I  inclose  enough  money  to  take  you   home,  and,  if 


86  EITHER,  OR. 

you  are  prudent,  you  will  use  it  for  that  purpose ;  for  believe 
me,  ma  petite,  it  is  dangerous  to  possess  so  much  beauty 
without  a  counterpoise  of  wit,  especially  in  a  strange  city. 
Trusting  that  you  will  pardon  me  for  this  rather  unceremonious 
farewell,  I  beg  you  to  believe  me, 

Your  true  friend  and  well-wisher, 

Arthur  Roberts. 

"The  fiend 7"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Kean,  when  Richard  had 
finished.  The  young  man,  on  his  part,  rose  and  walked  the 
length  of  the  room  with  the  evident  intention  of  quelling  the 
fearful  tempest  raging  in  his  bosom.  When  his  aunt  went 
on  :  "Oh,  I  wish  I  knew  the  whereabouts  of  this  demon,  to 
vent  my  wrath  on  him."  He  said:  "I  am  glad,  Aunt  Laura,  I 
do  not,  for  if  I  did,  I  would  be  a  murderer  before  night." 

She  quailed  a  little  under  this  forced  calm,  more  fearful 
than  the  most  furious  outburst  of  passion. 

"Perhaps  you  are  right,  Richard,  and  it  is  better  we  are 
ignorant  of  his  whereabouts.  "Poor  child  !  It  is  sad  enough 
to  fall  the  prey  to  so  wicked  an  intrigue,  but  to  become  the 
target  of  such  cynic  wit  and  malice,  is  more  than  I  could  bear. 
Indeed  I  marvel  that  this  letter  did  not   kill  her  on  the  spot." 

"I  fear,  Aunt  Laura,  it  has  killed  her  soul.  Oh,  why  did 
she  not  share  her  parents'  destiny  ?  It  would  be  much  better 
for  her  to  sleep  in  her  grave,  than  to  live  with  the  recollection 
of  such  satauic  treachery." 

"Poor  darling.  One  might  almost  wish  her  mental  vigor 
would  not  return,  to  save  her  the  recollection  of  this  foul  be- 
trayal." 

"I  fear  it  will  not.  Aunt  Laura  ;  as  you  say  the  inability  of 
remembering  her  wrongs  might  almost  console  one  for  such 
a  mental  night.'' 

Thus  they  conversed  together,  if  the  broken  and  spas- 
modic interchange  of  thoughts  and  feelings  can  be  called 
conversation.  We  abstain  from  chronicling  in  detail  the  hap- 
penings of  the  next  week,  mentioning  merely,  that  Elinor's 
physical  strength  returned,  while  the  condition  of  her  mind 
remained  the  same.  Our  friends  paid  her  daily  visits,  stay- 
ing with  her   for  hours,  but  nothing  in  her   conduct  showed 


EITHER,  OR.  87 

that  she  recognized  their  relation  to  her.     On  the  other  hand, 
her  clamor  for  Arthur  increased  from  day  to  day,  compelling 
Mrs.    Kean  and  Richard   to  resort   to  little    strategems  and 
promises  they  had  neither  the  power  nor  the  wish  to  fulfill. 
On  the  ninth  day  after  their  arrival,  the  doctor  declared  that 
the  patient  might  be  removed  to  the  hotel ;  but  he  cautioned 
her  friends  against  undertaking  the  journey  on  the  cars  be- 
fore  the    expiration    of  another   week.     Elinor  submitted  to 
her  removal  without  either  resistance  or  protestations.     The 
frequent  interviews  at   the  hospital,  and  the  great  and  univer- 
sal kindness  these  people  had  shown  her,  ably  brought  about 
that  approval   which  affection  begets  in  others.     It  must  be 
confessed  that  she  did  not  show  the  least  affection  for  them ; 
on  the  contrary,  her  words  and  actions  showed  decided  marks 
of  selfishness,  causing,  however,  neither  comment  nor  won- 
derment on    their  part,    perhaps  because  they  knew  of  old, 
that  selfishness  had   always  been  a  prominent  feature  in  Elin- 
or's character,  partly,  perhaps,  because   they  knew   that  half- 
witted people  are  much  like  children  and  clamor  for  the  ful- 
fillment of  their  whims  and  wishes  with  a  pertinacity  more 
natural  than  logical.     At  the  hotel  Elinor's  demands  for  her 
husband's  presence  increased  in  vigor,  and  even  the  assurance 
that  he  was  absent,  and  that  a  trip   to  Plutopolis  was  neces- 
sary  for  the    realization    of  her   wishes,  failed  to  satisfy  her 
entirely.     She  now  insisted  on  an  immediate  departure,  and 
Mrs.  Kean,  seeing  that  a  protracted  delay  was  likely  to  hurt 
Elinor  more  than  a  premature  departure,  yielded  reluctantly 
to  her  clamor,  and  after  consultation  with  Richard,  fixed  their 
departure  upon  the  fourth  day  after  Elinor's  removal  to  the 
hotel.     Berths  in  a  palace  car  were  secured,  and  so  easy  is  the 
motion  of  these  hotels  on  wheels,  that  the  travelers  reached 
Plutopolis  without    any  visible    detriment  to  Elinor's  health. 
On  their  arrival  at  the  cottage,  Mrs.  Kean  made  arrangements, 
allowing  a  constant,   though   unostatious  surveillance    of  the 
patient,  for  patient  she  continued  to  be,  her  mind  refusing  to 
show  the  least  sign  of  change  or  improvement.       Elinor  slept 
in  the  same  bed,  and,  at  first,  either  Mrs.  Kean  or  Richard  ac- 


88  EITHER,  OR. 

companied  her,  when  she* walked  in  the  streets.  Gradually, 
however,  this  watchfulness  slackened,  for  Elinor  made  no  at- 
tempt to  run  off,  or  to  do  anything"  incompatible  with  her 
safety  or  well-being.  The  only  thing  she  did,  was  to  inquire 
of  people  whom  she  met,  whether  they  had  seen  or  heard  any- 
thing of  her  husband.  She  never  went  far  from  the  cottage, 
and  the  neighbors  soon  understood  and  humored  her  sad  con- 
dition. Our  friend,  however,  did  not  remain  long  in  the 
neighborhood,  and  one  morning,  about  three  months  after 
Elinor's  recovery,  the  family  disappeared,  and  no  trace  of  it 
could  be  found.  This  does  not  show  in  itself  a  very  great 
secrecy  on  their  part.  The  world  may  stop  a  moment  and  no- 
tice us,  especially  when  we  have  been  either  unusually  lucky 
or  wretched,  but  it  soon  resumes  its  steps,  and  whirls  on  in 
its  mad  career,  as  if  it  could  not  afford  to  lose  a  minute,  and 
as  if  the  next  one  would  bring  the  solution  of  the  many 
puzzles  which  have  racked  the  brains  of  people  from  time 
immemorial,  and  will  probably  continue  to  rack  them  as  long 
as  time  flows  on  its  everlasting  course.  If,  in  addition  to  this 
restlessness,  we  take  the  trouble  of  covering  our  tracks  with 
only  ordinary  care  and  sagacity,  we  are  very  sure  to  disap- 
pear from  the  view,  as  well  as  memory  of  our  acquaintances. 
But  we  have  to  say  a  few  words  in  connection  with  this  dis 
appearance. 

When  Elinor  ceased  to  be  a  cause  of  anxiety  and  trouble,. 
Mrs.  Kean  and  Richard  would  often  sit  in  consultation,  talk- 
ing for  hours  upon  the  best  mode  of  accomplishing  their  pur- 
pose. When  Richard  inquired  about  the  estate  left  by  his 
parents,  Mrs.  Kean  said :  "You  know  already  from  your 
mother's  diary,  Richard,  that  your  father's  continued  ill-for- 
tune, or  rather  the  persecutions  of  that  fiend  incarnate,  had 
swept  away  the  small  fortune  of  your  grandmother.  When 
your  father  died,  nothing  but  the  cottage  was  left.  Your 
mother,  feeling  her  end  approaching,  made  a  will  in  which 
she  appointed  me  executrix,  directing  me  to  sell  the  cottage 
and  go  with  you  and  Elinor  to  some  place  where  Cheatham 
could    not  reach  vou.     I   had  to   eive   bonds  for  the    faithful 


EITHER,  OR.  89 

execution  of  this  trust,  after  which  I  advertised  the  place  for 
sale.  It  had  steadily  increased  in  value,  enabling  me  to  real- 
ize from  its  sale  the  cash  sum  of  $3,000,  which  I  put  into  the 
bank,  where  my  own  little  money  is  deposited.  It  is  at  your 
disposal,  Richard,  for  I  know  you  will  never  abuse  my  confi- 
dence and  always  respect  your  sister's  claim  to  half  this 
sum." 

"Thank  you,  aunty,  you  only  do  me  justice  ;  but  I  think 
I  need  not  touch  this  money." 

"But,  Dick,  do  you  not  intend  to  finish  your  college 
course?" 

"No,  Aunt  Laura.  The  little  additional  book  learning  I 
would  gain  there,  is  of  too  little  consequence  to  waste  a  year 
on  its  account.  What  I  need  is  knowledge  of  the  world :. 
knowledge  which  will  enable  me  to  secure  gold,  much  gold, 
for  mother  was  right  when  she  said,  that  to  fight  the  oppres- 
sors successfully,    you  must  use  their  own  weapons." 

"No  doubt,  my  boy  ;  but  do  you  not  underrate  the  diffi- 
culty of  such  a  speculation?" 

"It  is  not  speculation  aunty,  but  the  solid  workings  of 
the  brain.  You  know  I  have  always  made  electricity  my 
hobby,  and  it  is  through  the  knowledge  thus  secured  and  fur- 
ther intense  study  of  the  same  subject,  that  I  mean  to  secure 
the  lamp  of  Aladdin." 

Mrs.  Kean  was  much  older  than  her  nephew  ;  she  had 
seen  many  a  similar  expectation  wrecked  on  the  rocks  of  time ; 
but  she  could  not  help  admiring  the  keen  and  brilliant  look 
in  Richard's  eyes  and  was  loathe  to  discourage  him.  Never- 
theless she  felt  impressed  to  say  warningly:  "Dick,  my  dear 
boy,  I  like  your  spirit ;  but  do  not  forget,  that  thousands  have 
thought  and  planned  like  you,  only  to  see  their  air  castles 
tumble  under  the  first  storm  of  adversity." 

"  I  thank  you,  Aunt  Laura,  for  warning  me  in  this  man- 
ner ;  but  it  is  not  mere  gas  which  fills  the  bubble  of  my  ex- 
pectations." 

"I  carry  already  in  my  mind  the  design  of  an  invention, 
which  if  only  moderately  successful,  will  yield  millions." 


90  EITHER,  OR. 

Enthusiasm  is  ineffective.  "  And  may  I  know  the  {nature 
of  this  invention,  Richard:*"  she  inquired. 

"  Yes  Aunty,"  he  replied  irankiy.  "  You  see,  I  trust  you 
as  much  as  you  me ;  so  I  do  not  mind  to  tell  you  that  I  am 
on  the  point  of  constructing  a  telephone  as  much  above  the 
present  puerile  instruments,  as  the  sun  is  above  the  moon. 
With  it  you  cannot  only  talk  with  persons  hundreds  of  milee 
away,  but  so  loud  and  distinctly,  that  a  person  could  hear  you 
ten  feet  from  the  instrument,  and  recognize  the  voice  of  the 
speaker." 

"  That  would  be  wonderful,"  she  cried  admiringly,  al- 
though she  had  but  a  very  dim  idea  of  what  he  said.  "  It 
would  pay  immensely.  And  you  say,  you  know  pretty  much 
how  they  are  to  be  made?  " 

"  I  am  not  quite  so  far  as  that,  Aunty,  but  I  have  discov- 
ered a  substance  so  sensitive  to  sound  that  it  will  furnish  a 
splendid  medium  for  conveying  it." 

"  But  it  will  take  money  to  work  it  out,  Dick.  You  bet- 
ter take  your  half  oi  the  three  thousand." 

"Not  unless  it  is  absolutety  necessary.  And  now  listen 
Aunty,  what  I  have  thought  out,  regarding  our  next  move- 
ments. If  you  know  something  better,  let  us  hear,  and  we 
shall  adopt  that." 

"Well,  I  am  anxious  to  hear  your  plans." 

"Here  they  go,  then  :  It  appears,  that  Mother  is"— he 
winced  a  little-"  was  desirious  of  our  getting  out  of  Cheatham's 
way.  I  do  not  underrate  the  power  of  money.  The  fate  of 
my  poor  parents  shows  it  too  plainly  to  be  denied,  though  the 
workings  of  the  scoundrel  in  the  dark  made  his  power  greater 
than  it  would  otherwise  have  been.  I  am  not  afraid  of  this 
man,  Aunt  Laura,  but  I  admit  that,  in  this  instance,  discretion 
may  be  the  better  part  of  valor.  Let  us  disappear,  then,  Aunt 
dear,  but  only  to  rise,  Phoenix  like,  stronger  and  fairer  from 
the  ashes.  This  is  a  large  city.  If  we  are  careful,  to  cover  up 
our  tracks ;  if  we  move  to  another  and  distant  part ;  if  we 
finally,  change  our  name,  I  defy  Mr.  Cheatham  or  any  other 
person,  to  find  us  out." 


EITHER,  OR.  91 

"Change  our  names?     Would  you  go  to  that  extreme?  " 

"For  a  while — Yes.  A  name  is  a  clue  for  any  one  de- 
sirous of  ferreting  you  out.  Even  John  Smith  would  not  be 
secure,  if  his  name  were  in  the  directory.  There  is  no  need 
for  changing  yours,  however,  Aunty,"  he  continued  with  a 
smile  ;  "for  you  have  been  here  only  a  few  months,  and  only  a 
few  know  of  you,  and  of  your  connection  with  us." 

"And  what  name  do  you  propose  to  adopt,  Richard?  " 

"That  of  Velder,  which  means  Woods  in  German." 

"Ah,  I  see.    Merely  a  translation  of  your  patronyme." 

"That's  it,  Aunty.  You  see,  a  fellow  hates  to  lose  track 
of  the  dear  old  name  altogether.  So  this  little  innocent  com- 
promise comes  handy." 

"Have  you  selected  on  a  suitable  suburb,  Dick? " 

"I  have  not,  Aunt  Laura.  In  fact,  anyone  will  do  which 
is  sufficiently  remote  from  this.  Suppose,  you  hunt  one  up, 
which  suits  you,  and  answers  the  purpose.  You  will  be  more 
at  home  than  I,  and  it  is  therefore  proper  that  your  taste 
should  be  consulted  in  the  selection." 

"Thanks  for  your  consideration,  my  boy,  but  please  pro- 
ceed." 

"All  right.  I  think  you  are  aware,  that  I  am  familiar 
with  the  work  of  a  telegraph  operator." 

"I  heard  your  mother  say  so." 

"Well,  I  shall  at  once  apply  for  a  situation  in  a  telegraph 
office." 

"Won't  your  age  be  in  the  way,  Dick?" 

"I  think  not.  They  employ  fellows  younger  than  I  am  ; 
and  then,  Aunt  Laura,  I  have  made  some  little  inventions,  or 
rather  improvements,  which  will  probably  help  my  case.  At 
all  events,  I  shall  try,  and  that  soon,  for  the  sooner  I  begin 
my  preparations  the  sooner  I  shall  be  able  to  start  on  the 
great  and  all-absorbing  work  of  my  life." 

"And  may  the  spirits  of  your  sainted  parents  encompass 
you,  and  cheer  you  on." 

"Amen,  Aunt  Laura ;  but  it  is  getting  late;  I  must  go 
out  to  see  where  Elinor  is.     She  has  been  out  for  quite  a  lit- 


92  EITHER.  OR. 

tie  while,  and  we   must   not   let   her  stray  too  far.     Her  great 
beauty  might  bring  her  harm." 

"There  are  but  few  persons  villanous  enough  to  injure 
one  blighted  as  she  is." 

"You  forget  the  fellow  who  betrayed  and  then  mocked 
her." 

"Fortunately  there  are  few  like  him.  Yes,  go  and  look 
after  your  sister,  my  dear  boy." 

We  have  already  intimited  that  the  family  disappeared 
shortly  after  Elinor's  recovery.  At  the  same  time  a  young 
man  named  Richard  Velder  took  up  his  abode  in  a  little  cot- 
tage situated  in  a  suburb  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  city. 
With  him  was  an  elderly  lady  and  a  beautiful  young  woman, 
so  beautiful,  indeed,  that  the  neighbors  stared  at,  and  then 
pitied  her,  for  it  was  easy  to  see  that  the  reason  of  this  beauti- 
ful creature  had  been  dethroned,  and  strange  fancies  appar- 
ently harmless,  had  taken  the  reins.  The  people  of  the  neigh- 
borhood soon  learned  that  the  young  man  was  a  telegraph 
operator,  but  that  was  all,  for  the  elderly  lady  visited  nowhere, 
and  the  young  operator  kept  so  close  to  his  home,  when  off 
duty,  that  the  neighbors  saw  little  or  nothing  of  him.  At 
first  they  tried  to  pump  the  weak-minded  younger  woman; 
but  they  only  got  inquiries  in  turn  for  their  trouble,  and  when 
they  found  that  nothing  whatever  interested  her  except  one 
name — the  name  of  Arthur  Roberts — they  desisted  and  al- 
lowed the  newcomers  to  sink  into  what  they  wished,  namely, 
oblivion. 

It  was  rather  a  strange  life  which  they  lived.  Both  Mrs. 
Kean  and  Richard  Yelder  being  deprived  of  all  intercourse  with 
outsiders,  sought,  and  fortunately  found  a  rich  compensation 
in  each  other's  society.  They  talked  together,  studied  to- 
gether, and  the  difference  in  their  ages  as  well  as  their  acquire- 
ments, only  served  to  give  a  greater  charm  to  each  other's 
society.  L,aura  Kean  learned  much  from  her  young  friend 
and  relative ;  but  he,  in  turn,  drank  wisdom  from  the  lips  of  a 
woman  naturally  clever,  and  disciplined  in  a  school  of  varied 
experience.     Richard  generally  returned  home  a   little  after 


EITHER,  OR.  93 

five  o'clock  p.  m.  His  little  improvements  had  found  favor 
with  the  manager  of  the  business,  and  secured  Richard  at 
once  a  position  not  only  lucrative,  but  permitting  an  earlier 
withdrawal  than  the  duties  of  his  subordinates  would  permit. 
This  leisure  he  used  in  the  most  systematic  as  well  as 
scrupulous  manner.  Not  a  minute  was  lost.  After  partaking 
of  a  frugal  supper,  Dick  would  sit  down  for  a  whole  hour,  and 
study  some  new  work  on  electricity,  or  a  kindred  science. 
When  this  hour  had  expired,  he  rose  and  entered  a  shed  in 
which  a  small  and  simple  gymnasium  had  been  erected. 
After  exchanging  his  day's  apparel  for  a  suit  of  light  material 
he  went  through  all  the  exercises  forming  a  course  of  gym- 
nastics. His  aunt  was  regularly  his  spectator,  and  frequently 
Elinor  would  watch  with  her  and  admired  with  childish  glee, 
the  truly  remarkable  performances  of  her  brother.  At  first 
Dick  showed  the  akwardness  of  the  novice  ;  but  possessing  a 
strong  and  agile  body  and  that  indomitable  spirit  which  knows 
of  no  failure  or  retreat,  he  soon  became  expert  on  all  the  ap- 
paratus forming  his  collection.  His  strength  increased  with 
his  skill,  and  six  months  had  hardly  elapsed,  when  his  aunt 
^declared  that  his  feats  were  as  daring  and  well  executed  as 
any  acrobat  she  had  ever  seen.  When  Richard  had  mastered 
the  gymnasium,  he  engaged  the  services  of  a  noted  boxer, 
with  the  view  of  becoming  also  an  adept  in  this  useful  art . 
As  he  disliked  to  leave  the  ladies,  he  took  his  lessons  in  the 
little  shed,  paying,  of  course,  a  much  higher  price  for  his  in- 
struction. But  if  he  paid  dearly,  he  profited  quickly  and 
greatly,  and  after  the  expiration  of  six  months  more,  his 
teacher  assured  him  that  he  was  incapable  of  teaching  him 
any  more.  Indeed,  in  the  sparring  in  which  the  two  engaged 
for  practice,  the  teacher  was  as  often  touched  as  the  pupil,  and 
the  former  earnestly  and  persistently  begged  our  young 
friend  to  assist  him  in  an  exhibition  he  intended  giving  a  few 
weeks  hence.  We  need  not  tell  the  reader  that  Dick,  as  firmly 
declined,  for  an  exposure  on  the  stage  would  have  at  once 
■destroyed  the  incognito,  so  essential  to  the  successful  execu- 
tion of  his   work.     He    disliked  sincerely    to   part    with  his 


94  EITHER,  OR. 

teacher,  both  skilled  and  genial,  and  made  arrangements  to 
have  him  come  once  a  week  for  a  whole  year  longer,  knowing 
well  that  the  cleverest  performer  needs  practice  to  retain  his 
skill. 

When  the  boxing  lessons  were  over  Richard  engaged  a 
skillful  fencer  or  swordsman,  who  came  to  the  cottage  like  his 
predecessor. 

The  constant  exercises  on  the  gynasium  had  made 
Richard's  body  both  powerful  and  pliant,  and  the  art  of  box- 
ing had  made  him  wary  and  observant.  It  need,  therefore, 
not  surprise  the  reader,  when  we  tell  him,  that  Richard  ac- 
quired the  art  of  fencing  with  a  rapidity  which  more  than  once 
astonished  his  teacher,  and  made  him  assert  repeatedly  that 
Richard  must  have  used  the  foil  before.  It  took  only  a  few 
months  to  give  to  our  young  friend  the  skill  of  an  experienced 
fencer,  and  his  teacher  declared  more  than  once,  that  he  would 
consider  a  duel  with  Richard  a  rather  serious  matter.  After 
the  expiration  of  this  course  Richard  retained  his  teacher,  as 
in  the  case  of  his  predecessors,  limiting,  however,  the  meet- 
ings to  weekly  ones. 

While  thus  engaged  in  acquiring  the  accomplishments 
mentioned,  Richard  did  by  no  means  neglect  or  overlook  that 
of  swimming  and  riding.  Plutopolis  boasts  of  many  public 
baths,  some  of  which  possess  deep  and  spacious  basins.  It 
was  there  that  he  improved  his  skill  in  swimming.  He  al- 
ways chose  hours  when  the  bath  was  poorly  attended  or  en- 
tirely vacant.  He  was  by  no  means  vain,  but  he  knew  that 
his  stalwart,  well  shaped  figure  would  attract  attention,  which 
an  unusual  display  of  skill  would  augment.  Nevertheless  he 
became  at  times  the  center  of  attraction  of  the  few  visitors 
present.  They  insisted  upon  addressing  him,  showing  so 
much  friendliness  and  such  an  earnest  wish  to  cultivate  his 
acquaintance,  that  it  really  pained  him  to  thwart  them. 

His  riding  lessons  he  took  early  on  Sunday  mornings. 
He  found  it  a  little  difficult  to  meet  a  competent  instructor 
sufficiently  emancipated  from  the  prejudices  of  the  masses,  to 
accept  a  pupil  at  that  unusual  hour.     Richard's  liberal  offer 


EITHER,    OR.  95 

of  double  pay,  finally  overcame  the  master's  scruples,  and 
after  a  few  lessons  he  had  taken  such  a  fancy  to  Richard,  that 
he  would  probably  have  retained  him  at  half  price.  Here  as 
in  the  other  arts  Richard's  well  disciplined  body  did  him  great 
service.  His  well-knit  form,  his  erect  attitude,  his  utter  fear- 
lessness and  great  aptitude  attracted  his  teacher's  attention 
from  the  start,  and  after  a  few  weeks  he  declared  that  Richard 
would  miss  his  vocation,  if  he  did  not  devote  himself  to  a  cir- 
cus rider's  profession.  Richard  told  him  laughingly  that  his 
ambition  ran  in  another  channel,  but  that  he  was  determined 
to  acquire  the  circus  rider's  skill,  if  it  took  him  a  coon's  age. 
The  other  took  the  hint,  and  gave  his  instructions  accord- 
ingly. In  consequence  our  friend  became  an  unusually  expert 
horseman  before  the  year  was  over.  No  horse,  however 
vicious,  could  throw  him.  He  could  ride  bareback  like  a 
Comanche  Indian,  and  there  was  no  trick  he  could  not  per- 
form on  horseback.  In  this  instance,  as  before,  Richard 
found  it  very  difficult  to  curb  his  teacher's  desire,  to  parade 
him  before  his  friends  particularly,  and  the  world  generally, 
and  more  than  once  he  lamented  what  he  called  our  friend's 
foolish  bashfulness. 

There  was  one  more  art,  in  which  Richard  tried  to  perfect 
himself  during  all  this  time,  namely,  the  art  of  markmanship. 
He  had  all  the  qualities  necessary  to  excel  in  it,  namely,  a 
keen  eye,  a  steady  hand,  and  nerves  of  iron.  No  dissipation 
had  made  inroads  upon  his  constitution.  Need  we  wonder, 
therefore,  that  in  an  incredibly  short  time  Richard  could  hit 
the  center  of  an  ace  with  both  rifle  and  revolver,  not  once  or 
occasionally,  but  as  regularly  as  the  pendulum  swings  from  a 
regulator.  This  skill  he  acquired  at  home  at  leisure  moments 
and  with  an  ease  and  nonchalance  astonishing  his  aunt,  who 
soon  considered  him  a  knight  "  sans  peur  et  sans  reproche." 


,96  EITHER,  OR. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

AN    INTKRMEZZO. 

It  was  about  six  months  after  the  occupation  of  the  lit- 
tle cottage  by  our  friends,  when  the  trio  was  augmented  into 
a  quartette  by  the  arrival  of  a  wee  little  fellow,  who  made  a 
good  deal  of  noise  in  proportion  to  his  size,  and  necessitated 
the  hiring  of  a  nurse,  as  the  young  mother  manifested  a 
strange  indifference  to  the  new  comer,  and  could  therefore 
hardly  be  trusted  with  his  sole  care.  After  her  recovery  from 
her  confinement,  Elinor  manifested  a  stronger  desire  for  the 
society  of  him  she  called  so  affectionately  her  husband,  and 
it  was  with  the  utmost  difficulty  that  Mrs.  Kean  and  Richard 
could  persuade  her,  to  nurse  the  child. 

This  freak  filled  them  both  with  wonderment,  and  the 
disturbance  of  the  equilibrium  of  Elinor's  mind  was  indeed 
the  only,  though  highly  bitter  ingredient  in  the  cup  of  con- 
tentment which  the  preparations  above  described  gave  both  to 
aunt  and  nephew.  They  consulted  several  physicians  who 
had  made  insanity  a  specialty ;  but  all  agreed,  that  nothing 
could  be  done  in  the  matter,  although  there  was  a  bare  possi- 
bility  that  a  severe  mental  shock,  such  as  had  produced  the 
malady,  might  effect  its  cure.  Such  a  shock,  however,  was 
coupled  with  the  greatest  danger,  both  to  Elinor's  life  and 
mental  condition,  and  as  likely  to  make  her  a  raving  maniac 
as  a  sane  person.  For  this  reason  they  counseled  patience, 
declaring  that  time  might  eventualh7  improve  her  mental  ca- 
pacity. 

As  the  boy  grew  older  Elinor  began  to  take  more  interest 
in  him,  and  when  at  the  age  of  eighteen  months,  he  com- 
menced to  walk,  coo,  and  lisp  the  names  of  the  inmates  of  the 
cottage,  she  became  more  absorbed  in  him  and  his  welfare, 
permitting  the  dismissal  of  the  nurse.  Mrs.  Kean  purchased 
a  baby  carriage,  and  after  that  Elinor  could  be  seen  every  day 
wheeling  the  infant  through  the  neighboring  streets,  or  the 
lanes  of  the  adjacent  park.  When  asked  how  she  wished  to 
name   the   boy,  she   suggested   the  propriety   of  calling  him 


EITHER,  OR.  97 

Arthur,  after  his  father,  but  yielded  when  they  urged  the 
adoption  of  "George"  in  memor3T  of  her  father.  She  did  not 
seem  aware  that  her  father  had  been  called  that  way ;  in  fact 
it  is  doubtful  whether  she  was  aware  of  ever  having  had  par- 
ents ;  but  the  force  of  habit,  and  the  custom  of  looking  to  her 
friends  for  guidance,  sufficed  to  make  her  yield  the  point. 
George  grew  to  be  a  child  of  unusual  beauty,  and  when  the 
young  mother  wheeled  him  over  her  customary  route,  she  at- 
tracted the  attention  of  all  the  passers-by.  This  finally  caused 
much  uneasiness  to  Richard  and  his  aunt,  since  the  probabil- 
ity of  her  meeting  some  old  acquaintance  was  strong.  So 
one  day,  about  two  years  after  the  removal  to  their  present 
domicile — Richard  sat  down  at  his  aunt's  side,  and  said  : 
"Aunt  Laura,  don't  you  think  that  the  attractive  beauty  of 
our  pets  becomes  too  dangerous  for  our  incognito,  to  permit 
our  continued  stay  at  this  place?  " 

"I  have  thought  so  all  along,  Richard;  but  what  can  we 
do?  One  part  of  the  city  is  as  bad  as  another  in  this  respect, 
you  know." 

"You  are  right,  Aunt  Laura,  and  for  that  very  reason  we 
ought  to  leave  the  city." 

"Leave  the  city,  Richard?  And  what  about  your  office?  " 

"I  have  thought  it  all  over,  aunty.  My  preparations  are 
about  complete,  and  I  can  think  of  taking  another  step  towards 
the  goal  which  beckons  far  away.  Come  with  me  to  my 
workshop,  if  you  please." 

"He  rose  and  led  her  to  a  small  room  partitioned  off  from 
the  shed  containing  the  gymnasium.  It  was  carefully  locked, 
but  opened  to  a  key  which  he  drew  from  his  pocket.  After  a 
glance  of  precaution  over  the  premises,  Richard  opened  the 
door,  and  led  his  expectant  relative  into  his  sanctum.  She 
had  been  there  often  before,  but  seen  merely  detached  parts 
of  the  machine  now  attracting  her  attention.  Richard  gazed 
fondly  at  his  work,  then  with  pardonable  exultation  at  his 
aunt  and  said  with  a  slight  tremor  in  his  voice :  "There  she 
is,  Aunt  Laura.     All  that  is  left  for  me  to  do  is  the  procure- 


98  EITHER.  OR. 

ment  of  a  patent,  and  then — take    my  word  for  it—  the  golden 
stream  will  begin  to  flow  into  our  coffers." 

"Our  coffers.  The  dear  boy  never  thinks  of  himself 
alone.'' 

"Of  course  I  do  not.  If  I  did,  do  you  think  I  could  enter- 
tain the  plans  which  permeate  my  being  and  fill  my  brain  to 
suffieation?  No,  aunty,  this  belongs  to  you  next,  and  then  to  all 
my  suffering  brethren,  and  may  this  stream  of  gold  help  me 
to  remove  the  wrongs  which  their  oppressors'  gold  has  done 
them." 

'"Amen  !  But  say,  Dick,  will  your  minority  not  interfere 
with  the  procurement  of  such  a  patent?" 

"I  have  thought  of  that,  aunty.  It  will  be  necessary  to 
secure  a  declaration  of  majority  from  the  courts.  As  I  now 
bear  the  name  of  Yelder,  and.  as  such,  have  no  claim  to  any 
property,  there  will  be  no  difficulty  in  the  way,  I  reckon?" 

"But  if  your  true  name  conies  to  light  afterwards:  Is 
there  no  danger  of  losing  it  all?" 

"We  must  run  the  risks,  Aunt  Laura,  for  it  would  never 
do  to  use  my  proper  name  now.  Bedsides  I  shall  demand 
such  security  from  the  purchaser  of  the  patent,  that  I  can 
defy  any  scheme  to  rob  me." 

"And  when  the  patent  is  secured  Richard?" 

"We  shall  leave  this  country  for  a  year  or  so,  and  sojourn 
in  Germany  and  France  in  obedience  to  mother's  wishes,  that 
is,  if  you  approve  of  such  a  step." 

"With  all  my  heart.  Dick  ;  but  is  not  this  a  valuable  loss 
of  time?" 

"No,  Aunt  Laura,  I  think  not.  The  old  world  contains 
the  master  minds,  which  now  agitate  society  with  new  ideas, 
I  feel  I  need  all  the  information  on  this  subject  I  can  obtain. 
I  need,  moreover,  the  inspiring  influence  of  these  mental 
giants,  and  therefore  deem  the  projected  voyage  a  gain,  rather 
than  a  loss." 

"And  you  propose  to  start  soon?" 

"As  soon  as  the  legal  steps  have  been  taken.  I  shall  seek 
the  counsel  of  a  lawver  to-morrow." 


EITHER,  OR.  99 

The  man  of  the  law  informed  him  that  there  was  nothing 
in  the  way  to  his  securing  a  declaration  of  majority,  and  of- 
fered his  assistance  in  the  matter.  His  efforts  were  successful, 
and,  a  few  days  later,  Richard  had  in  his  pocket  a  document, 
declaring  that  a  certain  Richard  Velder  was  entitled  to  carry 
out  the  functions  of  majority,  excepting  the  right  of  suffrage, 
for  which  he  did  not  care.  Next  he  boxed  his  precious  ma- 
chine, and  departed  with  it  for  Patropolis,  deeming  it  prudent 
to  superintend  in  person  the  formalities  connected  with  the 
securement  of  so  important  a  patent.  He  expected  that  his 
invention  would  create  a  sensation,  but  the  reality  by  far  sur- 
passed his  expectations.  The  officials  of  the  patent  office 
stared  in  wonderment  and  Richard  felt  quite  relieved,  when 
the  caveat  for  the  patent  was  in  his  possession.  When  he  took 
up  the  papers  of  the  capital  next  morning,  he  found  a  sensa- 
tional notice  in  all  of  them,  setting  forth  in  glowing  language 
the  novelty  and  importance  of  the  new  invention,  and  then 
felt  that  he  had  become  famous  in  one  night.  The  same 
fluid  which  had  enabled  him  to  achieve  such  a  grand  success, 
had  heralded  this  success  to  every  corner  of  Occidentia,  caus- 
ing his  name  to  be  read  by  millions  of  eyes,  and  to  be  spoken 
by  millions  of  tongues.  For  a  few  minutes  he  felt  quite  op- 
pressed, but  soon  his  fearlessness  reasserted  itself,  and  he 
straightened  up  as  if  he  meant  to  say:  "Well,  what  of  it? 
Here  I  am,  ready  to  combat  you,  enemies  of  our  race.  Wait 
a  little  and  you  will  hear  more  startling  things  about  '  Yours 
truly'  yet."  He  had  hardly  finished  his  breakfast  when 
several  reporters  called  to  interview  him,  causing  him  to  smile 
at  the  importance  he  had  so  suddenly  acquired.  Nor  did  he 
bluff  these  attaches  of  the  press,  but  explained  to  them,  to  the 
best  of  his, — nay,  their  abilitj7,  the  nature  of  his  invention.  In 
consequence,  the  papers  of  the  next  morning  gave  a  highly 
flattering  description  of  Mr.  Velder,  the  inventor  of  the  new 
telephone  which  threatened  to  revolutionize  business  of  every 
description.  Richard  remained  in  Patropolis  until  his  case 
was  decided.  Strange  to  say,  there  was  no  claimant  to  dis- 
pute the  originality  of  his  invention.     The  fact  was:     The  in- 


ioo  EITHER,  OR. 

genuity  of  his  method,  and  the  brilliancy  of  his  conception  had 
taken  away  the  breath  of  the  public,  as  it  were,  and  there  was 
really  no  one  bold  enough  to  dispute  the  claim.  Long  before 
Richard  was  in  possession  of  his  patent,  he  received  visits  and 
offers  from  individuals  and  corporations.  While  some  pro- 
posed to  purchase  his  right,  others  offered  him  a  royalty,  and 
again  others  suggested  the  propriety  of  forming  a  gigantic 
stock  company,  with  him  at  the  head.  These  offers  did  not 
turn  the  head  of  our  young  friend.  He  listened  to  them 
politely,  and  frequently  was  amused  at  the  ingenuity  of  some 
of  them,  but  he  declined  all  as  premature,  declaring  that  he 
would  not  sell  the  hide  of  the  bear,  until  the  bear  was  killed. 
In  due  season,  however,  the  papers,  making  him  a  manifold 
millionaire  in  everybody's  opinion,  were  handed  to  him,  and 
the  next  morning  saw  him  on  the  train  to  Plutopolis.  Even 
on  the  train  he  was  beset  by  beople  wanting  to  buy  his  patent, 
and  when  he  arrived  in  Plutopolis,  he  had  to  use  considerable 
ingenuity  to  escape  the  crowd  of  speculators  lying  in  wait  for 
him.  When  he  reached  his  home  he  sank  into  a  chair,  after 
an  affectionate  greeting  to  his  dear  ones,  and  said  with  fiegned 
horror  in  his  voice  : 

"Aunty  dear,  pack  our  trunks  without  delay,  unless  you 
wish  your  poor  nephew  crushed  under  the  burden  of  his 
new  fame." 

"Is  it  really  so  bad,  Richard?  " 

"Well,  you  will  see  foryourself;  if  these  vampires  succeed 
in  ferreting  us  out.  Haven't  you  seen  anybody  nosing 
around?" 

"Not  to  my  knowledge,  Richard,"  she  replied  with  a 
laugh. 

"Well,  they  will  discover  me  before  long;  so  get  every- 
thing ready." 

But  you  will  wish  to  dispose  of  your  patent  first? 

"Yes,  Aunt  Laura;  but  remember  that  I  have  at  least  a 
thousand  offers  to  choose  from,  and  have  only  waited  for  your 
advice  before  accepting  one  of  them." 


EITHER,  OR.  ioi 

"That's  very  considerate  in  you,  Richard;  but  I  am 
hardly  competent  to  decide  so  weighty  a  matter." 

"  Indeed  you  are  Aunt  Laura;  much  more  able  than  many 
others." 

"What  do  you  think  of  a  million  a  year?" 

"You  are  joking,  Richard;  you  do  not  mean  to  tell  me 
that  you  received  such  an  offer?" 

"Not  exactly,  but  rest  assured,  dear  Aunt,  that  I  shall 
accept  nothing  less" 

She  looked  at  him  in  amazement,  but  evidently  failed  to 
find  words  to  express  her  surprise. 

"I  shall  go  to  the  office  to  morrow,"  he  resumed,  "and 
probably  close  a  bargain  before  I  return.  The  manager  wrote 
to  me,  begging  me  not  to  decide  before  I  had  met  him,  as  he 
was  prepared  to  make  me  a  splendid  ofler.  But  now,  Aunty, 
let  us  talk  of  something  else,  for  I  have  heard  this  subject  so 
continually  and  persistently  discussed  that  I  am  completely 
worn  out." 

The  next  morning  Richard  went  to  the  telegraph  bureau 
at  his  usual  hour,  but  if  he  had  expected  to  reach  his  desk  in 
the  usual  manner  he  was  much  mistaken.  Everybody  stared 
at  him  from  the  messenger  boy  to  the  manager,  who  shook 
his  hand  cordially  and  congratulated  him  on  his  grand 
achievement. 

"To  think  of  it,  that  you  had  this  in  contemplation  for 
months,  and  never  breathed  a  word  of  it  to  anydody.  Sly 
dog,  that  you  are.    Well,  you  got  my  letter,  of  course?" 

"I  did,  sir." 

"And  the  patent  is  still  yours?" 

"It  is,  sir." 

"That's  right,  sir,  that's  right.  Come  into  my  office;  I 
expect  a  party  shortly  that  will  give  you  all  your  grand  in- 
vention is  worth." 

"I  shall  be  glad  to  meet  him.  And  what  is  your  own 
estimate  of  the  value  of  my  patent?" 

"Oh,  Mr.  Yelder,    in   my  estimation  its  value  is  so  stu- 


102  EITHER,  OR. 

penduous  that  it  makes  me  dizzy  to  think  of  it.  Well,  what 
is  it?" 

A  card  was  handed  him,  on  the  reading  of  which  his  face 
brightened.  Rising  with  alacrity,  he  said  to  the  boy:  "Show 
him  in,  Charley."  Then,  turning  to  Richard  and  rubbing  his 
hands  gleefully,  he  remarked:  "I  knew  he  would  be  early  ; 
such  tid-bits  as  yours  are  not  in  the  market  every  day." 

He  could  not  proceed,  for  at  this  moment  the  door  opened 
and  a  middle-aged  man  stepped  into  the  apartment.  He 
posessed  rather  handsome  features,  but  his  eyes  bore  a  cruel 
expression,  and  his  lower  face  was  rather  heavy.  The  mana- 
ger hastened  to  shake  hands  with  him;  then  turning  and  con- 
ducting him  towards  Richard,  who  was  still  standing,  he  intro- 
duced: "Senator  Cheatham — Mr.  Richard  Velder." 

It  is  such  moments  as  this  which  try  a  person's  mettle. 
We  read  of  cases  where  a  tiger  suddenly  rose  from  the  jungle 
and  then  crouched  down  for  a  spring  upon  the  intruder; 
or,  where  a  cobra  wound  around  its  victim's  leg,  ready  to  insert 
its  deadly  fang:  where  an  avalanche  slid  down  the  mountain- 
side, threatening  with  instant  death  the  inhabitants  of  the 
valley.  We  read  of  the  rare  presence  of  mind  displayed  on 
such  occasions  by  the  parties  thus  menaced;  but  we  doubt  sin- 
cerely whether  their  ordeal  was  more  trying  than  that  through 
which  Richard  passed  at  this  moment.  True,  the  peril  in  this 
instance  lay  with  Cheatham,  that  is,  the  peril  of  life;  but  with 
our  young  friend  lay  the  much  more  imminent  danger  of 
yielding  to  a  terrible  though,  natural  and  probably  justifiable 
outburst  of  passion,  threatening  with  the  victim's  life  plans, 
so  grandly  conceived  and  so  carefully  matured.  If  Richard 
had  afterwards  been  asked  to  describe  the  sensations  of  that 
trying  moment  he  would  have  been  compelled  to  confess  his 
inability.  True,  he  could  have  told  us  that  a  sudden  tempest 
rose  within  him,  resembling  in  suddenness  and  vehemence 
the  cyclone  which  springs  into  existence  without  a  moment's 
warning.  That  this  fury  threatened  to  overthrow  all  resist- 
ence,  leveling  the  resolutions  of  months  and  years,  and  only 
checked  by  that  barrier,  an  iron  will ;  but  his    account  would, 


EITHER,  OR.  103 

of  necessity,  have  been  as  vague  as  his  sensations.  Only  when 
the  tempest  had  been  checked;  when  the  reason  had  regained 
control,  his  ideas  also  resumed  that  clearness  necessary  for  a 
perspicuous  account.  He  could  and  would  have  told  you 
that  his  thoughts  from  that  moment  ran  thus:  "This  man  is 
unworthy  of  such  a  sacrifice  as  the  renunciation  of  my  plans 
would  be.  He  is  only  worthy  of  my  contempt,  and  such  con- 
tempt shall  be  unsparingly  meted  out  to  him.  He  conies  to 
purchase  your  patent.  Very  well;  it  is  the  working  of  grim 
Nemesis  that  sends  him  in  my  way,  to  aid  with  his  own  gold 
the  downfall  of  the  ruinous  monopolies  enjoyed  by  him  and 
his  cast." 

The  human  mind  is  a  very  rapid  worker.  Many  thoughts 
can  flash  through  it  in  a  wink  of  time.  We  hear  of  dreams 
lasting  only  a  few  seconds,  and  yet  reviewing  in  that  short 
space  of  time  the  dreamer's  entire  life.  We  need  not  wonder, 
then,  that  these  thoughts  of  Richard  occupied  only  a  moment 
or  two,  and  that  he  had  fully  recovered  his  self  possession 
when  the  newcomer  advanced  towards  him  and  holding  out 
his  hand,  said,  in  bland  and  winning  accents: 

"Happy  to  meet  you,  Mr. — Velder,  did  you  say  Mr. 
Phelps?" 

"Velder,  Richard  Velder,  Senator." 

We  have  intimated  that  Richard  had  regained  his  self- 
possession,  but  dissimulation  was  so  foreign  to  his  nature  that 
he  would  not  have  feigned  friendliness  to  this  man  for  all  the 
wealth  ot  Plutopolis.  Ignoring,  therefore,  the  proffered  hand, 
he  contented  himself  with  acknowledging  the  other's  advances 
by  a  slight  and  distant  bow.  Mr.  Phelps  saw,  and  marvelled 
at  this  reticence,  but  thinking  that  the  presence  of  the  great 
man  had  embarrassed  his  young  friend,  he  cried  out  cheer- 
fully: 

"  Sit  down,  gents,  sit  down.  I  for  my  part,  like  to  be 
comfortable  when  I  transact  business,  particulary  business  of 
such  importance.  I  see  Senator  you  left  your  couch  early  this 
morning.     Smelled  a  fat  plum,  eh?" 

"The  fatness  of  the  plum  depends  upon  this  gentleman's 
t 


io4  EITHER,  OR. 

demands.  I  should  think,"  replied  the  visitor  assuming  an 
air  of  affability,  although  he  too  had  noticed  Richard's  cold- 
ness,  and  might  perhaps  have  resented  it  under  ordinary 
circumstances,  or  if  he  had  not  attributed  it  to  much  the  same 
cause  as  the  manager,  who  hastened  to  reply  in  the  same 
cheerful  tone  : 

"Oh,  trust  me  for  that,  Senator.  \  have  known  Mr. 
Velder  fully  two  years,  and  always  found  him  a  highly  sensi- 
ble and  reasonable  fellow." 

He  looked  at  Richard  as  if  he  expected  an  acknowledge- 
ment of  the  compliment,  causing  the  young  man  to  smile  and 
to  say,  "you  flatter  me  Mr.   Phelps." 

"  Not  at  all,  Velder,  not  at  all ;  but  we«must  not  waste  the 
Senator's  time,  and  launch  into  "  medias  res,"  as  we  used  to 
say  at  college.  Well,  to  cut  matters  short,  Mr.  Velder,  Sena- 
tor Cheatham  and  myself  represent  a  syndicate  which  wishes 
to  purchase  your  patent,  and  if  you  will  have  the  goodness  to 
inform  us  at  what  figure  you  will  part  with  it  we  shall  soon 
see  whether  we  can  make  a  bargain  or  not." 

"That  is  spoken  to  the  point.  Mr.  Phelps,  and  I  will 
answer  with  the  same  frankness  and  plainness.  The  patent 
is  at  the  disposal  of  your  friends  for  the  consideration  of  a 
million  dollars  annually,  for  seventeen  consecutive  years-, 
these  payments  to  be-  backed  by  ample"  security." 

Mr.  Phelps  pointed  his  lips  for  a  significant  whistle;  but  a 
look  upon  Richard's  face  induced  him  to  abandon  the  attempt. 
The  young  man  sat  there  so  unconcerned  as  if  millions  were 
mere  playthings,  good  enough  to  fill  some  idle  minutes.  True, 
he  smiled  pleasantly,  but  there  was  something  in  his  mien 
which  betokened  a  fixed  purpose  and  somehow  told  the 
manager  that  joking  would  not  much  mend  the  matter.  So 
he  changed  the  whistle  into  a  cough  and  said  with  a  some- 
what sickly  smile: 

"A  million,  did  you  say  a  million,  Mr.  Velder?" 

"I  said  a  million,  Mr.  Phelps." 

"But  that  is  preposterous,  Velder.  Let  us  look  at  this 
thing  in  the  right  light :     First  and  foremost.—" 


EITHER,  OR.  105 

"  I  do  not  see  the  use  in  looking  at  it  in  any  light,  Mr. 
Phelps"  Richard  interrupted  the  manager  with  a  bland  smile, 
but  great  firmness  of  tone.  "  A  million  a  year  is  my  price.  If 
it  does  not  suit  you,  well,  you  have  the  privilege  to  decline, 
and  I  assure  you  that  I  shall  be  the  last  person  to  reflect  on 
you." 

"  But  a  million,  friend,  a  million.      Aiut  you  a  little  bit  too 
hard  now? " 

A  slight  shadow  of  weariness,  if  not  disgust  flitted  over 
Richard's  face.  "  See  here,  Mr.  Phelps,"  he  said  impressively, 
"you  are  no  doubt  aware  that  there  are  nearly  70  millions  of 
people  living  in  Occidentia.  Of  these  at  least  one  million  will 
be  glad  to  pay  you  $30  a  piece  annually  for  the  use  of  my 
telephone.  You  are  too  good  a  calculator  not  to  know  that 
that  signifies  the  sum  of  thirty  millions  in  your  pocket  every 
year.  Allowing  the  expenditure  of  ten  millions  for  the  poles, 
wire  and  fixtures,  and  you  have  a  profit  of  twenty  millions 
even  the  first  year.  If  I  wanted  to  take  the  trouble  of 
managing  this  thing  myself,  I  could  clear  five  times  the 
amount  I  asked  of  you." 

"But  Mr.  Velder,"  the  manager  began  to  remonstrate  anew, 
when  a  gesture  of  the  Senator  stopped  him.  If  Mr.  Cheatham 
was  a  friend,  he  possessed  at  least  the  sagacity  of  a  friend,  and 
'this  sagacity  told  him  that  any  attempt  to  jew  this  young 
man  would  be  lost  breath  and  time.  Besides,  this  dauntless 
independence  pleased  him,  and  there  is  little  doubt  that  he 
would  have  been  ready  and  glad  to  form  a  liking  for  Mr. 
Velder,  if  that  individual  would  only  have  allowed  it.  That 
this  was  not  the  case,  was  evident,  although  it  was  not  so 
much  sagacity  as  intuition  which  made  the  Senator  aware  of 
this  fact.  However,  this  might  have  been,  the  Senator  saw 
that  the  calculations  of  the  young  man  were  rather  under, 
than  overrated,  and  he  therefore  resolved  to  close  the  bargain 
at  his  own  figures.     So  he  said : 

"  Mr.  Phelps,  Mr.  Velder  is  correct.     The  purchase  of  his 
patent  at  his  figures  would  insure  a  very   handsome  dividend, 


io6  KITHKR.  OR. 

and  I  am  inclined  to  report  favorably  to  the  meeting  called  at 
eleven  this  morning.     What  do  you  say,  Mr.  Phelps?  " 

The  manager  was  destined  to  a  surprise  this  morning. 
This  manner  of  doing  business  was  so  novel  to  him,  especially 
as  Mr.  Cheatham  was  concerned,  that  it  dazed  him  completely, 
causing  him  to  stammer  some  incoherent  words  of  reply,  which 
the  Senator  construed  as  an  approval,  for  he  rose  and  said: 

"Very  well  then,  let  us  go,  Mr.  Phelps.  It  is  ten  now, 
and  if  we  tarry  we  shall  be  late.  Can  we  meet  you  here  this 
afternoon,  Mr.   Yelder?" 

"  I  am  at  your  disposal." 

"  Very  well,  let  it  be  three  then.      Ready  Mr.  Phelps?  " 
The  manager  nodded,  and  the  pair  was  on  the  point  of 
leaving  the  room  when  Richard  said  : 

"  One  moment,  Mr.  Phelps;  Do  you  desire  my  services 
in  the  bureau?  " 

"Of  course  Velder,  of  course.  If  you  will  be  kind  enough 
to  attend  to  your  former  duties  for  the  present,  we'll  get  ready 
for  you  the  high  position  we  wish  you  to  fill  hereafter." 

"  Nay,  Mr.  Phelps,  you  misconstrue  my  question,  if  you 
actually  need  my  services  I  am  disposed  to  give  them  to  you 
until  you  can  find  a  substitute.  I  intend  traveling  in  Europe 
and  am  therefore  obliged  to  decline  your  tempting  offer." 

"  Ah,  that  is  too  bad,  really  too  bad.  Well,  suit  yourself 
my  friend,  we  shall  be  glad  to  have  you  stay  as  long  as  you 
see  proper.     Au  revoir." 

With  this  the  pair  left,  and  Richard  returned  to  the  cot- 
tage where  Mrs.  Kean  listened  to  his  recital  with  a  mixture  of 
wonderment  and  alarm. 

"To  think,  that  he  of  all  men,  should  want  to  buy  your 
patent.  Supposing  he  had  recognized  you?  You  look  a  good 
deal  like  your  father,  Richard." 

"  Well,  they  say,  a  robber    is  never    safer  than    when  in 
company  of  a  policeman,"  he  replied  with  a  laugh. 
"  And  you  think  he'll  buy  your  patent?  " 
"  I  know  he  will." 
"  And  you  will  let  him  have  it? " 


EITHER,  OR.  107 

"Yes  aunty.  It  gives  me  a  grim  satisfaction  to  think 
that  I  shall  fight  his  clan  with  his  own  money." 

"  Then  we  ought  to  get  ready  for  the  voyage  without 
delav?" 

"Even  so  aunty.     How  many  Saratogas  will  you  need?  " 

"  Oh,  two  will  do,  one  for  yourself  and  one  for  Elinor  and 
me  you  know." 

"  I  have  all  I  want  aunty." 

"  And  so  have  we,  you  bad  boy.  Behave,  or  you  shall 
have  no  pie  for  dinner." 

"  I  cave,  as  the  boys  say." 

At  this  moment  Elinor  entered  the  room  leading  little 
George  by  the  hand.  A  prettier  child  could  not  easily  be 
found.  His  curly  brown  hair  ;  a  pair  of  bright  large  eyes  of 
the  same  color,  a  snowy  complexion  and  rosy  cheeks  formed 
an  ensemble  rarely  found.  Nor  was  his  mother  a  picture 
of  ordinary  beauty.  Features  of  rare  symmetry  and  com- 
bines, hair  of  an  auburn  hue,  teeth  white  as  ivory,  and  a  figure 
of  faultless  proportions,  would  have  presented  an  almost 
irresistible  charm,  if  a  certain  vagueness  of  expression  and  a 
constantly  wandering  gaze  had  not  somewhat  marred  the 
sight.  Little  George  was  very  fond  of  his  uncle  Dick,  and  no 
sooner  had  he  spied  him  when  he  crowed  lustily,  and  letting 
go  his  mother's  hand,  ran  to  embrace  his  knees  with  his  little 
arms.  Richard  at  once  lifted  him  up  saying  :  "Hallow,  how  is 

master  George  ? " 

"Me  well,  me  want  dollaw." 

"Want  a  dollar,  you  little  imp  ;  what  do  you  want  a  dol- 
lar for?" 

"Buy  shooty,  go  bang.'' 

This  bang  was  loud  enough  to  permit  the  conclusion  that 
the  shooty  he  wanted  to  buy,  was  at  best,  a  ten  inch  caliber 
gun.  It  caused  them  all  to  laugh,  and  then  the  little  group 
sat  down  in  evident  good  humor  to  eat  a  frugal,  though  savory 
dinner.     Elinor's  condition  had   ceased  to  grieve  her  friends. 

Time  dulls  everything,  pleasure  as  well  as  sorrow,  and 
both  Richard  and  Mrs.  Kean  had  learned  to  look  at  the  beau- 


io8  EITHER,  OR. 

* 

tiful  woman  with  resignation.  During  the  meal  Richard  ad- 
dressed his  sister,  saying: 

"Elinor,  we  shall  go  to  Europe  before  long.  How  do  you 
like  the  idea  of  crossing  the  ocean  and  seeing  the  grand  and 
pretty  sights  of  the  old  world?" 

"Shall  we  meet  Arthur  there?" 

If  Richard  was  annoyed  by  this  question  he  did  not  show 
it  in  his  face,  nor  in  his  voice,  as  he  replied:  "Possibly,  sister, 
though  not  very  likely.  I  wish  you  would  make  yourself 
familiar  with  the  probability  of  his  death.  If  he  lived,  would 
he  have  stayed  away  all  this  time?" 

"It  is  rather  strange,  and  I  cannot  account  for  it.  But 
he  is  not  dead,  Richard,  indeed  he  is  not  dead,  and  one  of 
these  days  you  will  see  him." 

Richard  looked  at  his  aunt  as  if  he  meant  to  say:  "The 
same  sad  old  story — when  will  it  end?"  After  dinner  he 
returned  to  Mr.  Phelps'  office,  where  Senator  Cheatham  made 
his  appearance,  just  as  the  clock  struck  three. 

"I  like  punctuality,"  he  said,  with  a  smile,  acircumstauce 
at  which  we  need  not  wonder,  as  every  one  of  his  minutes  was 
worth  a  dollar,  or  brought  him  one  at  least.  After  disposing 
of  his  hat  he  began  without  any  preliminaries: 

"My  friends  have  accepted  your  terms,  Mr.  Velder.  Will 
you  please  inform  me  how  you  want  your  money,  and  what 
security  you  demand?" 

"An  annual  credit  for  $250,000  in  four  of  the  leading 
banks  of  Plutopolis,  with  the  guarantee  of  these  banks  that 
this  credit  will  continue  for  seventeen  years." 

"Agreed,"  replied  the  Senator,  with  a  readiness  which 
caused  Mr.  Phelps  to  start  in  spite  of  himself.  "Have  you 
any  choice  as  to  these  banks?" 

"None  whatever.  Let  it  be  the  First,  Second,  Third  and 
Fourth  National  Banks  of  this  city." 

"Very  well.  I  shall  deposit  in  these  banks  five  per  cent, 
bonds  of  Occidentia  to  the  amount  of  $25,000,000,  with  the  in- 
structions to  withhold  these    for    seventeen  years,  and  pay  to 


EITHER,  OR.  109 

you  or  your  order  the  interest  accruing.  Is  that  satis- 
factory?" 

"Perfectly  so." 

"Then  I  beg  you  to  accompany  me  and  Mr.  Phelps  to  my 
lawyer,  to  sign  the  papers,  which  have  already  been  drawn  up. 
One  more  question:  I  understand  that  you  are  now  working 
out  some  other  problems.  May  I  ask  whether  this  report  is 
true?" 

A  shade  of  wonderment  passed  over  Richard's  face,  and 
he  replied  with  a  slight  vexation  in  his  tone:  "It  is  true,  but 
how  it  leaked  out  is  altogether  beyond  my  comprehension." 

The  Senator  smiled  a  smile  of  superiority.  "You  see  we 
statesmen  have  our  channels  of  iniormation;  but  that  is 
neither  here  nor  there.  Will  you  give  us  the  refusal  for  these 
inventions  when  patented?" 

Richard  felt  considerably  annoyed  and  replied  coldly : 
"I  do  not  wish  to  bind  myself  by  any  promises,  but  will  give 
you  notice  and  ample  time  for  negotiation  when  the  inven- 
tion is  ready  for  the  market." 

"  Thank  you,  that  is  all  I  ask,  and  now,  gentlemen,  let  us 
seek  the  man  of  law." 


CHAPTER  VII. 

ABROAD. 


A  week  later  our  friend  floated  on  the  Atlantic  Ocean, 
en-route  for  the  old  world.  They  had  embarked  on  the 
staunch  steamer  Sea  Foam,  and  were  enjoying  the  novelty  of 
the  scene  and  their  surroundings.  It  was  early  spring,  the 
twenty-fifth  of  March,  when  we  join  them.  They  were  seated 
on  deck,  wrapped  in  their  mantles  as  the  weather  was  raw 
and  the  north  west  wind  fresh.  We  cannot  well  imagine  a 
grtater  change  than  that  which  had  taken  place  in  Richard's 
circumstances  in  less  than  two  weeks.  From  a  salaried  em- 
ployee of  a  telegraph  company  he  had  turned  into  a  Croesus, 


no  EITHER,  OR. 

for  a  man  who  commands  an  income  of  a  million  dollars 
annually  may  well  be  termed  a  Croesus.  Nor  was  this  all. 
He  had  applied  for  patents  to  the  governments  of  England, 
France,  Germany,  Austria  and  Russia,  and  was  reasonably 
sure  of  realizing  another  million  arfnually  from  the  sale  of  his 
invention  in  these  countries.  But  had  this  sudden  change  in 
his  circumstances  effected  a  change  in  him?  We  are  well 
aware,  that  not  one  person  in  a  hundred  could  experience 
such  a  change  and  not  be  influenced  b)'  it.  We  know  too 
well  the  charm  of  luxury  and  indolence,  to  say  flippantly  dis- 
pise  it,  and  defy  the  world  to  tempt  us.  Nor  can  we  exactly 
say  that  Richard  had  entirely  escaped  the  influence  of  his 
accession  to  sudden  wealth,  but  if  the  reader  thinks  that  it  had 
made  him  vain,  filled  him  with  a  longing  for  ease  and  dissi- 
pation, we  indignantly  repel  the  insinuation  and  say :  It  had 
only  made  him  stronger,  more  self  conscious,  and  confident  ot 
ultimate  success.  We  must  not  forget  that  his  great  and  sud- 
den wealth  had  not  come  from  a  freak  of  fortune,  such  as  the 
legacy  of  a  relative,  or  the  purchase  of  a  lottery  ticket.  On 
the  contrary,  it  was  the  result  of  long  and  intense  thought 
and  study,  of  pluck  and  perseverence ;  of  genius  and  inspira- 
tion. If  it  came  suddenly,  it  had  been  long  and  confidently 
anticipated  and  was  in  a  measure,  the  offspring  of  legitimate 
industry.  We  do  not  underrate  the  importance  of  these 
premises,  dear  reader,  but  do  not  smile  sarcastically  either, 
intimate  that  Richard  Yelder  would  then  have  been  prool 
against  the  smile  of  fickle  fortune.  If  we  have  drawn  his  por- 
trait with  moderate  skill  and  accuracy,  the  reader  must  be 
aware  by  this  time  that  if  we  fail  to  invest  him  in  our  hero, 
the  fault  lies  with  us,  and  not  with  him. 

As  the  travelers  were  thus  seated  together  discussing  the 
weather,  the  ship  and  other  points  of  similiar  magnitude  and 
importance,  the  captain  approached  the  little  group,  and  after 
lifting  his  cap,  took  a  seat  at  Richard's  side.  "Well  Mr. 
Velder,"  he  began  with  a  benevolent  smile  fitting  well  to  his 
rotundity  and  the  natural  kindness  depicted  on  his  feature  : 
"I  suppose  you  are  in  for  it  now,  and  will  not  return  until  the 


EITHER,  OR.  in 

cup  of  pleasure  which  the  old  world  offers  has  been  drained  to 
the  bottom." 

"  You  are  mistaken,  Captain  Seawater.  I  do  not  go  to 
Europe  to  dissipate,  but  to  study." 

The  captain's  face  assumed  an  expression  of  blank  sur- 
prise. "To  study?  '  he  drawled  out,  as  if  something  had  im- 
peded his  free  utterance;  "To  study?" 

There  was  also  an  element  of  incredulity  embodied  in  his 
manner  of  utterance  so  that  Richard  felt  slightly  piqued. 

"Why  captain,  what  is  the  matter  with  you?"  he  inquired, 
a  little  testily;  "do  I  look  so  much  like  a  libertine  that  you 
persist  in  considering  me  one?" 

"A  millionaire  and  study,"  exclaimed  the  captain,  without 
heeding  Richard's  question,  "why  that  beats  the  Dutch  all 
hollow." 

Richard  could  not  help  laughing  at  this  expression  of 
honest  wonderment. 

"I  see  the  point  now,  captain,  and  take  it  all  back.  I 
really  cannot  blame  you  for  your  wonderment,  for,  as  the 
world  goes,  millions  and  stud}*  do  not  go  together.  Never- 
theless, I  only  spoke  the  truth,  when  I  told  you  that  I  visit 
Europe  for  the  sole  purpose  of  study,  and  hard  study  in  the 
bargain." 

The  captain  went  on  shaking  his  head.  "I  must  believe 
you,  if  you  say  so,"  he  said  slowly  and  emphatically.  "I  sup- 
pose money  is  no  object  with  you,  else  I  would  advise  you  to 
hire  out  to  Barnum.  The  announcement  that  a  millionaire 
went  to  Europe  merely  to  study  would  draw  full  houses,  I 
bet." 

He  uttered  these  words  in  so  droll  a  manner,  and  squinted 
so  cunningly  from  the  corner  of  his  eyes,  that  Richard  could 
not  help  bursting  into  laughter.  But  when  the  captain  had 
left  he  sobered  down  very  quickly,  for  the  joke  had  a  very 
serious  side  as  well.  Great  wealth  and  application  hardly 
ever  go  together,  excepting  perhaps  the  feverish  exertions  of 
the  brain  to  heap  millions  upon  millions.  He  could,  however, 
not  follow  this  train  of  thought  as  other  passengers  crowded 


ii2  EITHER.  OR. 

around  him  and  engaged  him  and  the  ladies  in  conversation. 
He  had  already  become  accustomed  to  the  adulteration  which 
society  offers  to  the  wealthy,  and  was  not  vain  enough  to  at- 
tribute to  his  personal  excellence  the  attention  shown  to  him. 
Nevertheless,  it  may  be  truthfully  said,  that  much  of  his  at- 
tention was  due  to  the  man  himself.  It  was  not  so  much  his 
physical  make  up  which  attracted  the  eyes  of  the  people,  as 
the  calm  and  well  poised  bearing  which  always  marked  his 
appearance.  His  gaze  did  not  only  show  intelligence,  but 
steadiness  of  purpose  and  the  consciousness  of  his  intentions. 
There  was  nothing  wavering  about  him  but  a  decision  showing 
that  he  did  not  merely  know  what  he  was  about,  but  also  con- 
vinced of  the  rectitude  of  his  purposes  and  the  correctness  of 
his  views.  In  other  words,  he  was  positive,  and  as  the 
majority  of  people  are  negative,  he  attracted  them.  How- 
ever, we  have  no  time  to  speculate  upon  his  character,  to 
say  nothing  of  the  questionable  wisdom  of  betraying 
at  this  early  date,  what  will,  or  at  least  ought  to 
manifest  itself  in  the  course  of  this  narrative.  We  there- 
fore pass  over  the  rest  of  the  voyage,  which  ended  without 
any  accident,  and  let  the  party  land  in  Southampton  merely 
to  see  them  on  board  the  cars  for  London,  the  metropolis  of 
the  world.  Is  it  not  rather  significant  and  characteristic  of 
human  self-importance,  that  we  call  this  little  speck,  the 
world?  What  a  field  for  speculative  philosophy,  from  which 
we  might  pass  on  to  such  reflections  as  the  sight  and  nature 
of  such  a  city  naturally  suggests.  What  a  concentration  of 
the  highest  and  noblest,  as  well  as  the  lowest  and  meanest  in 
human  nature.  Fortunately  for  the  reader  we  have  not  the 
time  to  indulge  in  such  meditations.  We  have  just  time  and 
space  to  state  that  Richard  found  no  difficulty  in  disposing  of 
his  patent,  for  the  use  of  which  he  received  the  sum  of  five 
hundred  thousand  pounds  sterling.  Alter  this  sale  our 
friends  left  for  France,  arriving  in  Paris  a  day  later.  As 
Richard  intended  to  remain  in  that  city  several  months,  he 
took  lodgings,  engaging  the  services  of  a  rebtaurateur,  who 
was    to    send    their  "menu"    to    their   rooms.     Here  also  he 


EITHER,  OR.  113 

found  a  read}*  purchaser  for  his  patent,  although  the  sum  was 
only  one-fifth  as  large  as  that  John  Bull  had  paid. 

We  do  not  wish  to  tire  the  reader  by  describing  in  detail 
his  negotiations  in  the  other  countries  mentioned  above.  It 
may  suffice  to  state  that  he  realized  in  all,  the  handsome  sum 
of  five  million  dollars  from  the  sale  of  his  patent,  this  sum 
representing  the  total  compensation  for  the  period  protected 
by  the  patent.  These  negotiations  occupied  several  weeks, 
necessitating  journies  to  the  capitals.  As  the  ladies  were 
tired  from  the  voyage,  Richard  insisted  on  making  these 
journeys  alone,  assuring  them  that  they  would  have  ample  op- 
portunity to  visit  Vienna  and  Berlin  before  their  final  return 
to  Occidentia. 

On  his  return  from  these  journeys  Richard  discovered 
some  change  in  the  aspect  of  affairs.  Elinor  seemed  much 
more  nervous,  and  her  eyes  wandered  about  with  a  restless- 
ness which  alarmed  him.  She  said  nothing  calculated  to  give 
him  a  clue  to  this  alarming  change  ;  but  Mrs.  Kean  benefitted 
by  her  first  private  interview  with  him,  to  enlighten  him  as  to 
the  cause.  Let  us  listen  to  her  explanation  which  ran  as  fol- 
lows : 

"After  your  departure  Richard,  Elinor  and  I  made  it  a 
point  to  be  as  much  in  the  open  air  as  the  weather  would  per- 
mit. You  know  the  parks  and  boulevards  of  Paris  are  pro- 
verbially beautiful,  and  we  three  enjoyed  their  beauty  to  our 
heart's  content.  George  ran  about  while  we  sat  on  a  bench 
and  gazed  with  never  flagging  interest  upon  a  panorama  which 
perhaps  has  no  rival,  certainly  no  superior  on  earth.  One 
day,  let  me  see,  it  was  yesterday  a  week  ago,  we  sat  as  usual 
on  a  bench  of  the  park  when  I  was  attracted  by  some  charm- 
ing nick  nacks  offered  for  sale  not  fifty  steps  from  our  bench. 
I  told  Elinor  not  to  stir  until  I  returned  which  would  certainl}- 
not  be  later  than  ten  minutes.  I  walked  to  the  stand  and  had 
just  made  my  selection  when  a  piercing  shriek  from  Elinor's 
lips  attracted  my  attention.  I  perceived  that  a  crowd  had 
gathered  around  the  bench  and  hastened  to  the  spot,  tremb- 
ling with  fear  that  something   had  befallen    either  her  or  the 


i.4  EITHER,  OR. 

child.  When  I  drew  near  I  heard  her  cry  :  'Arthur,  Arthur! 
Oh  let  me  go  good  people.  I  saw  Arthur,  my  husband,  and 
must  go  to  him.  Eet  me  go,  let  me  go !  '  By  this  time  I  had 
broken  through  the  circle  of  curious  spectators,  and  released 
the  poor  girl  from  the  grasp  of  those  who  held  her,  probably 
from  motives  of  sympathy,  but  certainly  with  a  bad  effect 
upon  her  nerves,  as  she  became  more  agitated  every  moment. 
I  begged  the  people  to  withdraw,  but  as  I  spoke  English,  and 
they  understood  nothing  but  French,  my  entreaties  had  no 
effect,  until  fortunately  an  Englishman  broke  through  the 
crowd  asking  me  what  was  the  matter,  and  whether  he  could 
be  of  any  assistance  to  me.  I  explained  to  him  Elinor's  men- 
tal condition,  and  he  interpreted  my  words  to  the  crowd, 
which  at  once  began  to  disperse,  displaying  a  consideration 
unknown  in  Occidentia.  Elinor,  however,  continued  to 
clamor  for  Arthur,  insisting  vehemently  that  she  had  seen 
him,  and  declaring  her  intention  of  searching  for  him.  It  was 
in  vain  to  reason  with  her;  so  I  begged  our  English  friend  to 
procure  a  carriage  in  which  we  drove  from  one  end  of  the 
park  to  the  other;  Elinor  watching  the  people  with  the 
keeness  of  the  hawk  ready  to  pounce  upon  its  prey.  Fortu- 
nately nothing  had  happened  to  George  who  might  easily 
have  been  lost  in  the  crowd,  so  I  did  not  mind  the  drive  which 
lasted  several  hours,  as  Elinor  could  not  be  persuaded  to  go 
home  until  she  was  completely  exhausted.  Ever  since  that 
unfortunate  occurrence  she  has  been  in  a  state  of  feverish  ex- 
citement, and  you  may  well  believe  that  I  awaited  your  re- 
turn with  anxiety  and  impatience." 

"  And  do  you  think,  aunt  Laura,  that  she  really  saw  him?" 

"  It  is  hard  to  tell.  If  she  did  not  see  him  she  surely 
must  have  seen  somebody  very  much  like  him." 

"Did  she  describe  his  appearance?" 

"She  says  he  was  on  horseback,  in  company  with  a  num- 
ber of  other  gentlemen." 

"  Hm,  this  is  unfortunate.  The  rogue  may  really  be 
in  Paris,  in  which  case  she  may  meet  him  again.  I  hardly 
know  what  to  think  or  do." 


EITHER,  OR.  115 

"How  would  it  do,  then,  to  visit  such  other  places  as  are 
in  our  programme,  and  spend  the  last  month  of  our  allotted 
time  in  Paris?" 

"We  are  as  likely  to  meet  him  in  Vienna  or  Berlin  as 
here,  Aunt  Laura.  Besides  it  would  be  cowardly  to  run  on 
his  account.  No,  if  we  have  to  face  him,  we  may  as  well  face 
him  here.  You  know,"  he  added  with  a  grim  smile,  "the 
French  are  very  indulgent  to  the  noble  practices  of  the  duel, 
gnd  I  may  in  that  way  get  rid  of  a  very  troublesome  nuis- 
ance." 

She  knew  he  was  only  jesting,  but  nevertheless  a  slight 
shudder  persisted  in  creeping  over  her  body.  She  knew  him 
to  be  courageous  to  fearlessness,  and  high-strung  as  well,  so  it 
was  hard  to  tell  how  an  encounter  might  terminate.  As  soon 
as  it  was  decided  that  they  would  stay,  Richard  entered  upon 
the  course  mapped  out  with  his  usual  zest  and  energy.  He 
engaged  a  teacher  of  French,  which  language  both  Elinor  and 
he  had  learned  to  speak  and  read  from  their  mother.  Elinor 
had  never  attained  much  proficiency,  but  Richard  spoke 
French  pretty  well,  and  felt  confident  that  a  sojourn  of  six 
months  in  Paris  would  enable  him  to  converse  fluently  in  that 
pretty  tongue,  a  tongue  consisting  of  so  many  stereotyped  ex- 
pressions, which  you  must  know,  to  know  French.  Its  pov- 
erty makes  it  easy  to  master  and  Richard  was  determindd  to 
accomplish  this  task  in  the  short  period  allotted.  He  per- 
suaded Elinor  to  join  him,  thinking  the  effort  might  prove  a 
diversion  and  draw  her  mind  away  from  the  all-absorbing 
thought  filling  it.  Mrs.  Kean  also  became  a  student  of  her 
own  free  will,  being,  however,  a  mere  spectator  during  the 
lesson  of  her  relatives,  and  claiming  the  teacher's  attention 
after  they  had  finished.  The  tutor  came  early  so  as  not  to 
interfere  with  the  many  subjects  claiming  the  attention  of  at 
least  one  of  his  pupils  during  the  day.  Richard  rejoiced  to 
see  that  the  effect  of  this  mental  discipline  of  his  sister  was 
beneficial  and  marked.  She  progressed  much  more  rapidly 
than  he  had  anticipated,  and  from  that  time,  often  read  the 
papers  or   such    books   as    the    teacher    suggested  or  recom- 


u6  HITHER,  OR. 

mended.  When  the  lesson  was  over,  Richard  would  mount 
a  fine  steed  he  had  purchased,  and  ride  an  hour  or  two,  using 
this  mode  of  locomotion,  to  frequent  such  places,  as  demanded 
his  presence  in  the  executiou  of  his  designs.  He  made  the 
acquaintance  of  such  men  of  note  as  had  attracted  attention  or 
won  fame  through  the  social  radicalism  of  their  views.  Thus 
he  received  main  a  valuable  suggestion,  but  never  allowed 
his  mind  to  become  so  totally  engrossed  by  these  views  as  to  lose 
sight  of  the  ground  under  his  feet.  The  more  he  studied 
these  questions,  the  more  deeply  he  became  convinced  of  the 
wisdom,  good  sense,  and  practicability  of  his  mother's  sug- 
gestions. We  have  not  the  time  to  accompany  him  step  by  step; 
no  time  to  record  his  increasing  skill  in  the  manly  sports  he 
had  practiced  at  home.  He  no  longer  took  private  lessons  at 
his  lodgings,  but  frequented  several  institutions,  where  gym- 
nastics and  fencing  were  taught  and  practiced.  Boxing  is  at 
a  discount  in  the  metropolis  of  fashion,  but  fencing  flourished 
there  luxuriantly  and  has  reached  a  degree  of  perfection 
known  nowhere  else.  Richard  soon  became  well  known  in 
the  most  famous  of  these  schools,  and  the  master  was  not 
slow  in  numbering  him  among  his  most  promising  pupils.  In- 
deed after  a  few  months  "monsieur  le  maitre"  pronounced  him 
as  near  perfect  as  he  could  make  him,  and  acknowledged  his 
inability  to  touch  him  in  any  vital  spot.  A  shooting  gallery 
was  connected  with  the  establishment,  and  there  Richard 
spent  much  of  the  time  he  allowed  himself  for  recreation. 
He  took  a  keen  interest  it  firearms  of  all  kinds,  placing,  how- 
ever, the  revolver  at  the  head.  With  it  as  well  as  with  the 
rifle,  he  was  absolutely  certain  of  his  aim,  and  it  was  with  a 
a  mixture  of  respect  and  envy  that  the  habitues  of  the  estab- 
lishment viewed  his  certainty  of  aim,  a  certainty  scarcely  ever 
wavering.  There  was  quite  a  sprinkling  of  his  countrymen 
among  the  patrons  of  "monsieur  le  professeur,"  and  Richard 
found  it  difficult  to  repel  totally,  and  in  every  instant  the  ad- 
vances they  made  with  the  evident  purpose  of  gaining  his  in- 
timacy and  securing  his  friendship.  Fond  as  he  was  of  sport 
in  the  abstract,  or  rather  the  tools  and  instruments  designed 


EITHER,  OR.  117 

to  execute  it,  he,  as  a  rule,  found  little  attraction  in  its 
average  devotees,  especially  when  they  belonged  to  the  so- 
called  "jeunessedoree."  As  it  is  this  class  particularly,  which 
apes  the  sportsman  par  excellence,  Richard  had  little  heart 
ache  to  decline  politely,  but  firmly  the  most  pressing  invita- 
tions showered  upon  him.  There  was  one  young  fellow,  how- 
ever, frequenting  this  salle,  a  countryman,  who  had  such 
pleasant  manners,  and  so  much  good  sense,  that  Richard  could 
not  find  it  in  his  heart  to  shake  him  off  entirely.  On  one  oc- 
casion he  accompanied  him  to  his  lodgings,  a  step,  implying 
of  course  his  readiness  to  receive  Mr.  Maxwell  in  his  own 
quarters.  It  was  about  two  weeks  after  the  exciting  scene  in 
the  park,  that  the  porter  sent  to  him  Mr.  Maxwell's  card.  It 
was  in  the  afternoon.  He  had  returned  from  a  long  ride,  and 
had  begun  to  write  a  business  letter,  when  the  card  was 
handed  him.  He  liked  Mr.  Maxwell  very  much,  and  though  at 
first  a  feeling  of  regret  rose  in  his  breast,  he  dismissed  it  as  rap- 
idly as  it  had  sprung  up,  and  told  the  servant  to  show  the  visitor 
in.  The  ladies  were  out  on  a  drive,  so  Maxwell  could  not  an- 
noy them.  Laying  aside  his  writing  materials,  he  rose  to  re- 
ceive him,  but  was  surprised  to  see  two  gentlemen  enter  the 
room  instead  of  the  one  announced.  He  must  have  looked 
his  surprise,  for  Maxwell  was  evidently  a  little  embarrassed, 
when  he  said  apologetically: 

"  Pardon  me,  Mr.  Velder,  if  I  over  step  my  privileges,  and 
bring  this  gentlemen,  a  countryman  of  ours.  We  were  riding 
together  and  when  I  told  him  that  I  intended  making  you  a 
call  he  insisted  so  strenuously  on  making  your  acquaintance 
that  I  could  not  well  refuse." 

"  Say  nothing  more  about  it,  Maxwell :  and  who  is  it  I 
have  the  pleasure  of  meeting?  " 

"  Ah,  I  forgot  :  Permit  me  to  introduce  Mr.  Cyrus 
Cheatham,  of  Plutopolis.     Mr.  Cheatham,   Mr.  Velder." 

We  need  hardly  remark  that  feelings  of  both  repugnance 
and  anger  rose  in  Richard's  breast,  on  hearing  this  ominous 
name,  which  he  naturally  coupled  with  the  enemy  of  his 
familv  ;  but  the  reader  is  surely  aware  bv    this  time  that  our 


us  EITHER,  OR. 

young  friend  was  not  likely  to  show,  by  mind  or  word,  the 
displeasure  he  felt.  With  one  keen  and  searching  glance  he 
took  the  measure  of  Mr.  Cheatham,  Jr.,  and  what  he  saw  was 
this:  Cvrus  Cheatham  had  inherited  the  comely  features  of 
his  father,  and  a  constant  contact  with  the  wealthier  classes 
had  given  him  polished  manners  and  the  assurance  of  the 
man  of  the  world.  These  advantages,  however,  could  not  dis- 
guise the  fact  that  dissipations  of  all  kinds  had  made  heavy 
inroads  upon  his  constitution,  and  that  he  was  old  beyond  his 
years.  Blue  rings  underlined  his  eyes,  and  his  motions  and 
gestures  betrayed  the  constant  and  ruinous  strain  to  which 
his  nerves  had  been  subjected." 

This  was  what  Richard  read,  and  what  begot  his  instant 
resolution  of  presenting  a  repetition  of  his  liberty.  The  young 
man  made  his  bow,  and  extended  his  hand  saying:  "Proud 
to  make  your  acquaintance,  Mr.  Velder." 

How  vividly  this  gesture  brought  up  to  Richard's  mind 
his  interview  with  Cheatham,  Sr.  Here,  as  there,  he  conten- 
ted himself  with  a  slight  inclination  of  his  head,  forcing  the 
other  to  drop  his  hand.  The  fellow,  however,  was  evidently 
possessed  of  too  much  self-esteem,  to  be  embarressed.  Imi- 
tating the  examples  of  Maxwell  and  Richard,  he  took  a  chair 
and  said  insinuatingly  :  "  We  are  hardly  strangers,  Mr.  Vel- 
der, for  the  governor  has  bought  your  patent,  you  know.  To 
hear  him  talk  one  would  hardly  know  whom  he  considered 
more  perfect,  the  inventor  or  the  invention.  So  you  see  you 
must  blame  him  for  my  wish  to  make  your  acquaintance." 

Richard  contented  himself  with  a  cold:  "  Don't  mention 
it,"  and  then  engaged  Maxwell  in  conversation.  The  subject 
of  their  remarks  was  either  above  Mr.  Cheatham's  horizon,  or 
uncongenial  to  his  taste,  for  he  arose  after  the  expiration  of  a 
few  minutes  and  loitered  about  the  room,  gazing  at  the  pic- 
tures or  examining  the  nick  nacks  Mrs.  Kean  had  purchased 
on  various  occasions  as  ornaments  for  their  future  home  in 
Occideutia. 

During  these  meanderings  he  had  reached  the  mantle- 
piece,  when  suddenly  an  ejaculation  of  surprise    escaped  his 


EITHER,  OR.  119 

lips,  so  loud  as  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  others.  No  sooner 
had  this  cry  escaped  the  lips  of  the  visitor  when  he  struggled 
for  self-possession  and  said  with  a  forced  smile  in  answer  to 
an  inquiring  look  of  Richard:  "Excuse  me  for  this  lack  of 
manners.  I  was,  I  saw,  I  mean  this  is  a  face  of  uncommon 
beauty.  "  May  I  ask  whether  it  is  that  of  Mrs.  Velder?  " 

Richard  rose  and  went  to  the  mantlepiece  where  he  dis- 
covered an  exquisite  photograph  of  Elinor,  which  Mrs.  Kean 
had  secured  in  one  of  the  best  galleries  of  Paris. 

"  I  am  not  married,"  he  replied  coldly,  "this  is  the  picture 
of  a  near  relative." 

"  Arid — and  is  she  in  Paris  at  present ? " 

"  She  is  out  riding  with  my  aunt." 

After  these  words  Richard  returned  to  Mr.  Maxwell  and 
resumed  the  subject  of  their  conversation.  Mr.  Cheatham,  on 
his  part,  continued  his  researches  just  a  minute  longer  proba- 
bly to  avoid  too  great  an  abruptness.  Then  he  wheeled  sud- 
denly like  a  man  who  is  struck  by  a  sudden  recollection,  and 
exclaimed  :  " 

"  By  Jove,  that  reminds  me  of  a  rendezvous  I  arranged 
with  some  chums  this  morning,  for  the  purpose  of  having  our 
phiz  taken.  If  I  do  not  hasten  I  shall  be  late  ;  so  please  ex- 
cuse me  gentlemen  for  saying  a  hasty  Au  revoir." 

A  few  polite  bows  and  he  was  gone.  Maxwell  gazed  after 
him,  then  looked  into  his  host's  countenance  and  said  :  "I 
fear  you  will  blame  me  for  bringing  with  me  this  fop.  I  did 
not  like  him  myself,  but  believe  me,  he  stuck  to  me  so  per- 
tinaciously that  I  could  not  shake  him  off  without  rudeness." 

Richard  begged  him  not  to  mind  it  and  expressed  his 
opinion  that  Mr.  Cheatham  would  hardly  bother  him  with  any 
further  attention. 

"  I  am  of  the  same  opinion"  Maxwell  remarked  with  a 
smile.  "  You  were  cool  enough  to  freeze  cream.  But  I  must 
see  the  picture  which  staggered  a  fellow  so  "  blase  "  as  this 
Cheatham." 

He  walked  to  the  mantlepiece  and  was  evidently  struck 
with  Elinor's  great  beauty."       "  She  is  charming,  and  no  mis- 


120  EITHER.  OR. 

take  "  he  said  warmly.  "  And  the  owner  is  really  a  relative  ?  '* 
Richard  merely  bowed  in  affirmation,  a  reserve  which 
warned  the  other  to  refrain  from  the  pursuit  of  the  subject. 
After  a  few  minutes  he  also  s*id  adieu,  leaving  Richard  to  his 
thoughts. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

A    SHIFTING    OF    SCENES. 

Again  our  friends  are  on  the  water,  but  this  time  it  is 
fresh,  not  salty,  being  in  fact  the  beautiful  sheet  of  the  Lake  ot 
Constance,  through  which  the  Rhine  rolls  its  waves  after  its 
fall  at  Schaffhausen.  It  is  the  first  of  October,  and  the  land- 
scape shows  all  the  charms  which  Switzerland  enjoys  in 
autumn.  The  air  is  balmy  and  imbued  with  that  freshness 
which  the  neighboring  Alps  impart.  The  Velders  are  coming 
up  the  Rhine,  with  the  intention  of  catching  a  glance  of 
Switzerland,  before  proceeding  to  Vienna,  where  they  mean 
to  tarry  a  few  months.  It  is  in  the  morning.  Thev  have  left 
the  City  of  Cunstance,  famous  through  the  martyrdom  of  John 
Huss,  who  was  burned  there  at  the  stake,  for  heresy,  paying  the 
penalty  of  trusting  too  implicitly  the  promises  of  Sigismund. 
They  were  seated  on  the  deck,  now  chatting  gaily  about  the 
picturesque  landscape,  and  then  feasting  their  eyes  on  its  ever 
varying  and  never  tiring  charms.  Suddenly  they  heard  a  cry, 
and  looking  in  the  direction  whence  it  came,  saw  a  woman 
falling  overboard.  They  afterwards  discovered  that  a  portion 
of  the  railing,  against  which  she  had  been  leaning,  had  given 
away,  thus  precipitating  her  into  the  lake.  These  steamers 
are  often  old,  and  the  corporations  owning  them  are  no  better 
than  those  of  other  parts,  all  of  them  possessing  the  peculiar- 
ity of  caring  more  for  their  pockets  than  for  the  welfare  of  the 
public.  Immediately  after  a  second  plunge  was  heard,  fol- 
lowed shortly  by  a  third  one,  which  latter  was  made  by  our 
friend  Richard.  He  had  sprung  to  his  feet,  when  he  heard 
the  first  cry,  and  hastened  to    the    broken  railing  just  in  time 


EITHER,  OR.  121 

to  see  the  second  party  reach  the  water.  It  was  a  man,  and 
for  a  moment  Richard  entertained  the  idea  that  he  had  jumped 
overboard  to  rescue  the  woman ;  but  the  splutter  he  made  in 
rising  to  the  surface  at  once  convinced  our  friend  that  he  was 
not  only  not  in  a  condition  to  aid  the  woman,  but  in  danger 
of  drowning  himselt.  Richard's  presence  of  mind  stood  him 
in  great  need,  for  a  glance  sufficed  to  show  him  that  no  time 
must  be  lost  if  the  lives  of  these  two  persons  were  to  be  pre- 
served. To  strip  off  his  coat  and  shoes  was  the  work  of  a 
second.  Next  he  seized  one  of  the  life  preservers  scattered 
over  the  deck,  and  with  it  in  hand  sprang  overboard.  The 
steamer  was  slacking  speed,  and  as  he  had  run  to  the  stern 
before  making  the  leap  he  soon  reached  the  spluttering  fellow ; 
who  used  his  arms  vigorously,  with  sufficient  force  to  retard 
his  sinking.  "Take  this,"  Richard  oried  to  him,  and  then 
struck  out  for  the  spot  where  he  had  seen  the  woman  a  few 
seconds  before.  She  appeared  about  fifty  feet  away  when  he 
saw  her,  and  never  before  had  he  used  more  vigorously  both 
the  great  strength  of  his  sinewy  limbs  and  the  skill  and  ex- 
perience he  had  acquired.  He  did  not  stop  to  gaze  around, 
but  when  he  at  last  reached  the  place  where,  in  his  opinion, 
she  ought  to  be,  he  saw  nothing  but  the  smooth  mirror  of  the 
lake.  Was  he  too  late  after  all?  Had  she  sunk,  never  to  re- 
turn? He  hesitated  to  dive,  fearing  that  she  might  rise  dur- 
ing his  absence,  when  he  noticed  a  series  of  bubbles  rising  to 
the  surface,  followed  soon  after  by  a  dark  object.  The  next 
moment  he  recognized  a  human  body  and  at  once  prepared  to 
receive  it.  He  knew  full  well  the  danger  of  being  drawn  into 
the  grasp  of  a  drowning  person,  and  took  his  measures  accord- 
ingly. Seizing  a  small  lath  or  narrow  board  swimming  within 
reach,  he  grasped  the  hair  of  the  woman  with  one  hand,  and 
shoving  the  board  under  it  for  a  support,  endeavored  to  raise 
and  keep  it  over  water.  In  this  he  was  successful.  She  was 
unconscious,  but  while  this  circumstance  increased  the  weight 
he  had  to  sustain,  it  also  freed  him  from  the  danger  of  being 
drawn  into  her  deadly  embrace.  It  is  doubtful  whether  he 
could  have  endured  the  enormous  strain  on  his  muscles  with- 


122  EITHER,  OR. 

out  the  aid  of  the' friendly  little  board  which,  though  only 
three  or  four  inches  wide  and  barely  four  feet  long,  gave  his 
arm  the  needful  support  for  sustaining  the  heavy  weight  of  the 
senseless  woman.  He  had  his  back  to  the  steamer,  and  could 
not,  therefore,  observe  the  preparations  which  thev  were 
doubtlessly  making  to  come  to  the  rescue;  but  hoped  they 
would  <(jhurry,  and  breathed  a  deep  sigh  of  relief,  when  he 
heard  the  strokes  of  oars  coming  in  that  direction  and  sound- 
ing nearer  and  nearer.  At  length  they  are  there ;  the}'  re- 
lieve his  aching  arm  of  the  burden,  and  draw  first  the  rescued 
woman,  then  him  into  the  boat,  where  he  sinks  exhausted 
upon  a  bench,  and  draws  a  dozen  deep  breaths  to  restore  the 
regular  respiration,  so  essential  to  our  comfort.  The  boat  is 
rapidly  rowed  to  the  steamer,  and  ten  minutes  later  every  sign 
of  that  catastrophe  has  disappeared,  and  the  steamer  proceeds 
on  her  voyage.  Richard  received  the  solicitous  inquiries  of 
his  aunt  and  also  his  sister,  who  showed  more  animation  on 
this  occasion  than  ever  since  her  sickness,  excepting  cases  di- 
rectly connected  with  her  tragedy.  Richard  soon  satisfied 
the  ladies  that  he  was  all  right;  then  declining  all  the  eager 
praises  and  congratulations  of  the  passengers,  he  retired  to  his 
cabin  to  change  his  clothes.  When  he  returned  to  the  deck,  half 
an  hour  later,  he  found  with  his  friends  the  couple  in  whose  res- 
cue he  had  played  so  conspicuous  a  part.  The}'  also  had  changed 
their  garments  for  others,  which  the  kindness  of  the  passengers 
seemed  to  have  furnished  them,  and  which  fitted  them  so 
poorly  as  to  give  them  a  rather  grotesque  appearance.  When 
he  drew  near,  they  both  rose  and  thanked  him  with  tears  in 
their  eyes  and  a  touching  simplicity  which  at  once  engaged 
his  sympathy  and  awakened  his  interest.  They  spoke  Ger- 
man with  a  southern  accent,  and  as  Richard  had  been  taught 
this  language  by  his  mother  and  read  many  standard  works 
in  it,  he  found  no  difficulty  in  understanding  them  and  con- 
versing with  them.  In  the  course  of  this  conversation  he 
learned  that  the  young  man's  name  was  Gottlieb  Grad,  while 
the  girl  called  herself  Sophie  Treu.  They  had  come  on  board 
at  Constance  and  were  bound  for  Schafthausen  where  Gotlieb 


EITHER,  OR.  123 

was  engaged  as  a  helper  in  a  blacksmith's  shop,  while  Sophie 
went  there  with  the  hope  of  finding  employment  in  a  family 
as  maid  of  all  work.  With  the  simplicity  of  people  of  their 
rank  and  condition  they  confided  to  Richard  that  they  were 
engaged,  but  altogether  too  poor  to  think  of  marrying.  In 
fact,  the  authorities  of  their  native  place  had  refused  to  grant 
to  them  the  necessary  license,  since  they  were  unable  to  give 
the  bond  securing  the  town  against  all  risks.  Richard  rapidly 
formed  a  liking  for  both  of  them,  and  when  the  boat  landed 
at  Schaff  hausen  he  told  Gottlieb  and  his  "  Schatz  "  to  call  on 
him  at  the  hotel.  In  consequence  they  made  their  appear- 
ance shortly  after  dinner  and  were  ushered  into  the  presence 
of  our  friends.  Richard  asked  them  whether  they  had  dined 
and  when  he  learned  that  they  had  only  eaten  a  lunch  brought 
from  Constance,  he  ordered  a  good  dinner  for  them,  which 
they  enjoyed  hugely,  thanking  him  over  and  over  again  for 
his  kindness. 

"  There  is  no  occasion  at  all,  my  friends,"  he  said  almost 
seriously,  "  what  I  have  done  for  you  is  a  mere  trifle  and  it 
is  really  I  who  am  obliged  for  the  chance  of  doing  his  fellow 
mortals  a  kindness.      Don't  you  see?  " 

"  Well,"  said  Gottlieb,  "  that  ain't  the  view  which  people 
generally  entertain  of  such  matters." 

"  So  much  the  worse  for  the  people  then.  At  all  events, 
you  would  really  oblige  me  by  dropping  this  matter.  I  begged 
you  to  call  in  order  to  find  out  how  I  can  help  you,  for  I  have 
conceived  a  liking  for  you  and  would  like  to  put  you  in  a 
shape  to  help  yourselves,  for  mind  you,  I  do  not  believe  in 
keeping  people  in  a  helpless  infancy,  and  feed  them  with  pap." 

Gottlieb  laughed  heartily,  and  Sophie  joined  in  probably 
from  a  sense  of  duty.     Richard  resumes  : 

"  Do  not  misunderstand  me  friends  ;  what  I  mean  is  this  : 
There  is  too  much  charity  in  the  world,  and  too  little  justice. 
Charity  degrades,  and  the  person  whom  I  support  with  alms 
only  receives  back  in  driblets,  what  I  stole  from  him,  whole- 
sale." 


i24  EITHER,  OR. 

A  queer  expression  flittered  over  Gottlieb's  face  at  these 
words. 

He  looked  cautiously  around,  as  if  afraid  of  some  eaves 
dropper  and  then  said,  lowering  his  voice  to  a  confidential 
whisper  : 

"Why,  that  is  just  what  the  socialists  say." 

Richard  started.  "Are  you  a  socialist?"  he  inquired, 
wonderiugly. 

"Well,  kind  of  one,"  was  the  hesitating  reply.  "I  know 
you  will  make  no  ill  use  of  this  confession." 

"Of  course  I  shall  not,"  Richard  cried  cheerily;  "but 
where  did  you  imbibe  socialistic  principles?  " 

"In  the  army,  Herr  Velder." 

"In  the  army?  I  thought  that  was  the  last  place  where 
they  would  tolerate  such  innovations." 

Gottlieb  chuckled  as  if  the  idea  tickled  him.  "Of  course 
they  don't;  but  they  get  there  in  spite  of  them.  One  fellow 
whispers  them  to  his  chum,  and  that  chum  to  another,  and  so 
they  are  discussed  and  accepted.  Indeed,  Mr.  Velder,  were 
it  not  for  fear  of  betrayal  and  certain  death,  in  case  of  discov- 
ery, the  whole  army  would  soon  be  tainted,  and — and — " 
.    "Drive  their  tyrants  to  Halifax?"  suggested  Richard. 

"Goodness,  I  didn't  say  that,"  Gottlieb  replied,  casting 
another  glance  of  precaution  around. 

"But  thought  it  all  the  same.  Well,  Gottlieb,  I  am  sin- 
cerely glad  to  have  met  you,  and  if  you  will  let  me,  I  shall 
make  a  man  of  you.'' 

"Of  Sophie,  too?"  Gottlieb  inquired  with  a  sly  glance. 

"Yes,  of  her  too.  In  fact,  if  I  am  not  very  much  mistaken, 
she  will  wear  the  breeches  after  the  knot  is  tied.  Say  Gott- 
lieb, now  I  think  of  it :  What  made  you  jump  into  the  lake, 
knowing  you  cannot  swim?" 

"Well,"  replied  the  young  man,  scratching  his  head  in 
slight  confusion;  "I  can  hardly  tell  you.  I  knew  her  to  be  in 
danger  and  wanted  to  share  it,  I  suppose." 

"You  are  a  good  fellow,  Gottlieb,  and  am  really  glad  to 
have   met  you,  even   at  the  risk    of  seeing  Sophie's  new  frock 


EITHER,  OR.  125 

spoiled.  Tell  me  truly:  Have  you  any  prospects  of  ever 
amounting  to  anything  in  your  native  land?" 

Gottlieb  studied  a  moment,  then  he  said:  "No,  Mr.  Vel- 
der,  I  have  no  such  prospect,  excepting  that  of  being  much 
cuffed  and  elbowed." 

"How,  then,  would  you  like  to  go  with  me  to  Occidentia  ? 
There,  I  can,  and  will  give  you  the  chance  of  becoming  inde- 
pendent, taking  that  word  for  what  it  is  worth." 

Gottlieb  did  not  reply  at  once,  but  looked  inquiringly  at 
Sophie,  who  returned  his  gaze  with  interest,  smiling  encourag- 
ingly. 

"You  like  the  idea?  "  he  then  asked;  "You  would  go  with 
with  me,  and  leave  kin  and  kith  behind? " 

"How  you  talk,"  she  said  with  a  pretty  pout  and  blush; 
"You  know  very  well  I  have  neither  kin  nor  kith." 

"Your  fatherland,  then,  Sophie?" 

"My  fatherland  is  where  you  are,  Gottlieb;  that  set- 
tles it." 

"Herr  Velder,  here  is  my  hand  and  word." 

"All  right,  I  am  glad  you  come  to  that  conclusion,  partly 
on  my  account,  but  chiefly  on  yours  and  Sophie's.  And  now 
listen  to  me,  Gottlieb.  After  the  expiration  of  six  months  I 
shall  return  to  Occidentia,  to  begin  a  great  and  glorious  work, 
mapped  out  formerly  by  a  dying  mother.  This  work  is  the 
betterment  of  the  masses,  a  thorough  reformation  of  the  social 
system,  in  a  word,  a  rejuvenation  of  the  human  race.  Do  you 
follow  me,  Gottlieb?" 

"Fully  and  entirely,"  replied  the  fellow,  whose  eyes  had 
caught  a  vivid  reflection  of  the  fire  lighting  up  Richard's." 

"Very  well.  I  have  been  so  fortunate  as  to  secure  many 
millions  to  aid  me  in  that  work,  knowing  full  well  that  with- 
out such  auxiliaries  the  task  would  be  utterly  hopeless.  Even 
with  such  backing,  however,  the  undertaking  is  not  merely 
difficult,  but  perilous,  and  if  you  follow  me,  and  aid  me,  you 
must  expect  to  attract  many  of  the  missies  discharged  at  me. 
It  is  but  fair  that  I  should  point  out  these  dangers  to  you,  to 
guard  against  reproaches  and  the   accusation   of  having  con- 


126  EITHER.  OR. 

ducted  you  from  the  rain  to  the  eaves.  Remember  that  Sophie, 
as  your  wife,  will  share  these  perils,  and  that  you  are  there- 
fore responsible  for  any  misfortune  which  may  befall  her  i  n 
consequence  of  having  embraced  my  cause,  that  is,  the  cause 
of  yonr  brethren.     Do  you  still  follow?" 

"Go  on,"  said  Gottlieb,  huskily. 

"Very  well.  I  told  you  that  I  have  become  rich,  very 
rich  ;  but  understand,  that  I  consider  myself  merely  the  stew- 
art  for  these  millions,  and  that  they  will  be  spent  to  the  last 
cent  in  behalf  of  and  for  the  benefit  of  the  masses.  So  while 
I  can  with  reasonable  certainty  promise  you  a  fair  compet- 
ence, I  am  not  at  liberty  to  give  or  promise  to  you  any  con- 
siderable portion  of  my  wealth.     Do  you  comprehend?" 

Gottlieb  only  nodded,  and  Richard  proceeded  : 

"I  hardly  understand  how  and  why  I  talk  to  you  in  this 
manner  and  communicate  to  an  utter  stranger  things  which  I 
never  before  breathed  to  any  mortal  outside  of  my  family. 
Something  tells  me  I  can  trust  you,  and  what  is  more,  that 
you  understand  me  and  appreciate  the  disinterestness  of  my 
motives,  and  the  grandeur  of  my  plans.  Nay,  do  not  reply  at 
once.  Go  home  and  ponder  upon  my  words  in  all  their  bear- 
ings. Consult  with  Sophie  and  when  you  have  made  up  your 
minds,  either  one  way  or  another,  come  and  inform  me  of 
your  decision.  I  shall  remain  here  until  to-morrow,  if  not 
longer.     For  the  present  farewell." 

He  held  out  both  his  hands  to  these  simple  people,  and 
while  Gottlieb  wrung  the  one  extended  to  him  with  an  almost 
painful  fervor,  Sophie  kissed  the  other,  dropping  upon  it 
something  very  much  like  a  tear.  Then  they  both  said 
"ade"  retiring  with  the  promise  of  an  early  return. 

"  After  dinner  Richard  engaged  a  sail  boat  and  skimmed 
the  lake  in  company  with  his  aunt  and  Elinor  and  to  the  im- 
mense delight  of  George,  who  kept  the  company  in  constant 
glee  and  excitement,  causing  so  late  a  return  in  consequence 
of  his  repeated  prayers  that  the  shades  of  evening  began  to 
fall  when  they  reached  the  hotel.  Supper  was  in  waiting,  and 
when  it  in  turn  was  finished,  Gottlieb  and  Sophie  sent  in  word 


EITHER,  OR.  127 

that  they  wished  to  see  Herr  Velder.  When  Richard  ap- 
peared before  them  in  the  parlor  they  both  arose,  and  Gottlieb 
said:  "  Mr.  Velder,  we  have  thought  over  all  you  have  said. 
It  is  true  your  work  has  its  difficulties  and  its  dangers,  but 
what  is  good  enough  for  you,  is  good  enough  for  us.  We  are 
yours  with  all  our  heart." 

"  But,  my  friends,  I  can  hardly  accept  such  a  sacrifice  in 
my  own  name  and  for  my  own  person." 

"  Well  accept  it  then  in  the  name  of  our  suffering  breth- 
ren." 

"  Ah,  that  is  another  thing.  In  their  name  I  thank  you 
for  this  offering,  and  in  their  name  I  accept  your  services. 
But  .sit  down  as  I  have  a  few  more  words  to  say  to  you." 

When  they  were  seated  he  continued.  "  I  told  you  be- 
fore that  you  are  the  only  strangers  to  whom  I  have  ever  con- 
fided my  intentions.  I  need  not  add  that  the  utmost  secrecy 
on  your  part  is  necessary.  The}'  say  women  are  talkative, 
but  I  denounce  this  accusation  as  a  vile  slander,  and  am  con- 
fident that  Sophie  will  justify  the  confidence    I  place  in  her." 

"  And  you  are  right,  Herr  Velder.  Sophie  is  not  of  the 
tattling  kind,  she  aint." 

"  I  knew  it,  but  let  me  proceed.  I  shall  remain  in 
Europe  for  about  six  more  months,  and  visit  Vienna  and  Ber- 
lin during  that  period.  I  want  you,  or  at  least  Gottlieb  to 
prepare  yourselves  for  the  work  in  store,  and  it  is  therefore 
fair  that  I  should  furnish  you  the  means  of  support.  What 
do  you  think  of  the  propriety  of  having  the  knot  tied  at  once 
and  then  accompanying  us  on  our  journey  ?  " 

A  vivid  blush  mantled  Sophie's  cheeks  at  these  words, 
while  Gottlieb's  eyes  sparkled  so  significently  that  he  really 
need  not  have  said:  "I  am  agreed." 

"  Well,  silence  implies  consent "  said  Richard  with  a 
smile. 

"  Wait  here  a  moment  until  I  bring  in  my  ladies  and  ac- 
quaint them  with  the  programme." 

He  left  the  room,  and  returned  shortly  with  Mr.  Kean 
and  Elinor;  George^forming  the   rear.     Mrs.  Kean  was  great- 


[28  EITHER,  OR. 

ly  surprised  at  her  nephew's  disclosures,  but  only  told  the 
truth  in  saying  that  she  was  delighted  with  the  arrangement, 
for  she  had  learned  to  like  both  of  these  simple  mannered  and 
simple  hearted  people.  Even  Elinor  gave  strong  signs  of 
approbation  evoked  perhaps  by  the  prospective  marriage  of 
the  young  couple.  After  due  consultation  it  was  decided  that 
the  marriage  should  take  place  in  the  hotel  on  the  following 
morning,  the  landlord  volunteering  to  furnish  the  minister. 
Gottlieb  insinuated  that  a  justice  of  the  peace  would  be  good 
enough  for  him,  but  Sophie  though  slightly  infected  with 
socialism,  was  too  conservative  to  sanction  such  informality. 
The  landlord  good  naturedly  secured  the  consent  of  the  local 
magistrate  who  raised  no  difficulties  when  he  learned  the  in- 
tention of  the  couple  to  emigrate  at  an  early  date,  and  so  the 
ceremony  was  really  and  solemnly  performed  on  the  following 
morning.  An  hour  later  our  friends  once  more  embarked  on 
board  the  steamer;  this  time  bound  for  Freiburg,  and  ac- 
companied by  Gottlieb  and  Sophie,  who  were  radiant  with 
happiness,  but  wore  their  new  condition  much  like  new 
clothes,  whose  seams  are  a  little  stiff  yet.  During  the  trip 
Richard  conversed  a  good  deal  with  Gottlieb,  whom  he  found 
not  only  well  informed  for  one  of  his  rank,  but  also  possessed 
of  more  than  ordinary  intelligence. 

Again  we  must  forbear  to  dog  the  steps  of  our  friends. 
They  tarried  a  few  days  in  Switzerland,  and  then  proceeded  to 
A'ienna,  where  they  once  more  took  permanent  lodgings. 
Wherever  the  opportunity  offered,  Richard  played  the  part  of 
teacher  to  his  grown  pupil,  and  though  Gottlieb's  success  can 
hardly  be  said  to  have  equaled  his  own,  he  did  fairly  well. 
He  took  his  first  swimming  lessons  in  the  lakes  of  Switzer- 
land, and  on  their  arrival,  Gottlieb's  military  service  had 
made  his  body  pliant,  and  after  a  few  months,  he  began  to 
swim  with  both  skill  and  endurance.  In  fencing  he  was  less 
successful.  He  had  learned  to  handle  the  broad  sword,  and  told 
Richard  with  a  grin  that  he  felt  able  to  describe  very  hand- 
some designs  with  it  on  an  opponent's  face;  but  the  foil  was 
rather  too  childish  for  him,  an  idea,  he  did  not  relinquish,  un- 


EITHER.  OR.  129 

til  Richard  showed  him  how  easily  a  skillful  fencer  can  send 
a  person  to  the  happy  hunting  grounds  in  that  manner.  Nor 
was  Gottlieb  very  successful  in  boxing.  He  liked  to  close 
with  his  adversary,  he  said,  claiming  that  after  that  the 
other  would  have  little  chance  for  putting  in  his  thrusts. 
Richard  showed  him  the  fallacy  of  such  thoughts,  showing 
him  in  a  friendly  sparring  match,  how  utterly  hopeless  are  the 
endeavors  to  close  with  a  skillful  boxer.  Richard  defied  him 
to  close  with  him  on  that  occasion,  and  so  severe  was  the  les- 
son Gottlieb  received  that  he  acknowledged  his  mistake,  and 
from  that  moment  showed  much  more  readiness  to  learn  an 
art,  which  had  been  brought  home  with  numerous  blows, 
softened  by  the  gloves,  but  sufficiently  hard  to  convince  him. 
He  had  learned  to  ride  in  the  army ;  so  the  companions  made 
numerous  excursions  on  horseback,  always  combining  busi- 
ness with  pleasure,  and  carrying  out  some  feature  of  Richard's 
programme.  After  a  sojourn  of  three  months  they  broke  up 
quarters  and  proceeded  to  Berlin,  which  city  Richard  found 
to  be  not  only  the  political,  but  also  intellectual  center  of 
Europe.  He  attended  lectures,  and  interviewed  the  leading 
socialists  of  Germany,  who  had  taken  up  their  abode  there,  as 
if  bound  to  engage  in  a  desperate  fight  with  a  military  despot- 
ism. Here  he  continued  and  finished  his  study  of  the  German 
language,  which  he  had  always  preferred  to  the  French,  on 
account  of  its  greater  depth,  richness,  pathos  and  adaptation 
to  poetry.  Bound  up  in  plans  of  reform  though  he  was,  Rich- 
ard was  passionately  fond  of  poetry,  and  feasted  eagerly  on 
the  many  great  works  of  poetic  character  left  to  the  Teutonic 
nation  by  bards.  A  few  weeks  before  his  final  departure  for 
Occidentia,  he  called  upon  an  artificer  in  iron  and  asked  him 
whether  he  could  make  for  him  a  coat  of  mail  impervious  to 
bullets,  and  sufficiently  pliant  to  be  worn  under  one's  clothes. 
The  mechanic  replied  in  the  affirmative  and  showed  him  sev- 
eral garments  of  that  character.  Richard  objected  to  all  of 
them  and  then  pointed  out  to  the  artificer  a  mode  of  joining 
the  small  plates  both  strong  and  flexible. 

"That's  all  very  well,"  remarked    the    man  shrugging  his 


130  EITHER,  OR. 

shoulders;  "but  who  would  pay  me  for  such  a  coat  of  mail? 
I  could  not  furnish  it  under  five  hundred  thalers." 

"I  will  pay  you  for  one,"  remarked  Richard,  "provided 
you  do  the  work  to  suit  me.  Here  are  two  hundred  thalers 
as  earnest  money." 

The  man's  face  brightened.  "That's  what  I  call  business, 
and  I  am  glad  of  having  an  opportunity  to  show  you  what  I 
can  do." 

He  went  to  work  without  delay,  and  five  weeks  later 
Richard  received  a  coat  of  mail  so  strong  in  character,  and  yet 
so  flexible  that  no  trace  of  it  was  noticeable  through  his 
clothes.  He  paid  the  artisan  and  put  his  coat  in  his  trunk, 
uncertain  whether  he  would  ever  use  it,  but  feeling  confident 
that  his  designs  would  frequently  expose  him  to  the  bullet 
and  dagger  of  the  assassin,  directed  now  by  the  promise  of 
gold,  and  now  by  the  ignorance  or  infatuation  of  the  very  men 
for  whom  he  proposed  to  toil.  Richard  was  fearless  to  a  fault, 
and,  under  ordinary  circumstances,  would  have  scorned  the 
idea  of  such  protection;  but  he  also  knew  that  one  ounce  of 
lead  from  an  ambush  would  stop  not  only  his  existence — a 
matter  of  small  moment  in  his  own  estimation,  but  also  the 
execution  of  a  reform  aiming  at  the  reconstruction  of  society. 
It  was,  therefore,  more  with  the  view  of  protecting  his  cher- 
ished scheme,  than  his  life,  that  he  procured  the  coat  men- 
tioned. On  the  twenty-fifth  of  March,  i.  <?.,  exactly  one  year 
since  his  departure  from  Plutopolis,  our  friends,  accompanied 
by  their  proteges,  embarked  on  the  steamer  Lohengrin  from  a 
North  German  port,  to  return  to  Plutopolis.  Let  us  hasten 
to  anticipate  them,  to  watch  with  befitting  interest  the 
first  steps  of  our  young  hero  in  his  new  career. 


EITHER,  OR.  131 

CHAPTER  IX. 

OPENING  OF  THE  CAMPAIGN. 

They  were  nearing  the  port  of  Plutopolis.  The  sky  was 
blue,  the  sea  smooth,  and  the  air  redolent  with  the  smell  of 
spring.  Our  friend  sat  on  the  deck,  Elinor  a  little  apart  from 
the  rest,  and  playing  with  George,  now  a  sturdy  lad  of  three 
and  half,  and  more  attractive  than  ever.  Elinor  herself  had 
changed  a  good  deal.  She  had  become  stouter  and  looked 
more  womanly  than  before.  Indeed,  but  few  would  have  rec- 
ognized in  her  the  girl  of  eighteen,  who  made  a  sensation 
wherever  she  showed  herself.  Not  that  she  was  less  hand- 
some, but  the  vacancy  of  her  gaze  marred  her  appearance, 
much  as  the  stuffing  of  the  antelope  mars  her  grace  and  ani- 
mation. Her  hair  also  had  darkened  several  shades,  including 
her  eye- brows,  causing  Richard  to  remark  to  his  aunt:  "Aunt 
L,aura,  don't  you  think  Elinor  has  changed  a  good  deal?" 

"Indeed  she  has,  Richard.  I  am  sure  people  that  knew 
her  before  your   parents'  death,  would  hardly  recognize  her." 

"That's  what  I  think,  and  I  must  say,  that  this  circum- 
stance comes  mighty  handy.  I  wish,  I  too.  had  changed  so  as 
to  become  unrecognizable." 

"My,  Dick,  you  have  changed,  and  a  good  deal,  too.  You 
sport  a  fine  beard  and  mustache  now,  you  know,  and  I  doubt 
whether  your  old  school-mates  would  recognize  you." 

"Perhaps  they  wouldn't,  aunty,  but  you  see  I  shall  be 
seen  as  Richard  Velder,  on  landing,  so  my  change  will  do  no 
good.  The  fact  is,  Richard  Velder  will  have  to  disappear  for 
a  while." 

His  aunt  looked  at  him  so  inquiringly,  that  he  continued: 

"You  remember  mother's  warning,  not  to  let  the  people 
become  aware  of  my  wealth.  This  warning  is  based  on  ex- 
cellent good  sense  like  all  her  other  suggestions,  and  I  shall 
act  upon  it.  I  shall  buy  some  property  in  a  quiet  part  of  the 
city,  install  you  and  Elinor  in  it,  and  then  disappear,  after 
having  made  beforehand  all  needful  preparations." 

"You  will  not  leave  us,  Dick?" 


[32  KITHER,  OR. 

"A s  Richard  Velder?  Yes,  ma'm;  but  I  shall  live  near 
you,  and  often  see  you  as  John  Smith,  Tom  Brown,  or  some 
other  ordinar>-  fellow."' 

"Dick,  Dick!  Are  you  not  afraid  of  getting  into 
trouble?" 

"Not  much,  Aunt  Laura.  You  see,  I  am  a  millionaire, 
and  much  is  pardoned  to  millionaires  which  would  send  paup- 
ers  to  the  State  prison.  If  I  am  found  out,  what  of  it?  It  is 
only  the  freak  of  a  young  fellow  who  has  nothing  to  do  and 
must  contrive  comething  to  while  awaj-  his  time." 

'Well,  I  trust  sincerely  you  may  be  right;  but  I  do  not 
see  how  you  are  going  to  accomplish  all  this  without  the  help 
of  others.'' 

"Haven't  I  Gottlieb  and  his  Sophie?  I  knew  I  would 
need  assistance  and  therefore  brought  them  along.  I  cannot 
tell  you  now  how  I  shall  manage,  but  it  must  and  will  be 
managed  in  some  way,  Aunty  dear;  depend  upon  it  I  have 
studied  long  and  deep  on  the  subject,  but  must  eventually 
trust  to  circumstances  and  the  inspiration  of  the  moment." 

Early  the  next  morning  the  noble  steamer  entered  the 
fair  bay  and  harbor  of  Plutopolis.  Richard  engaged  a  carriage 
and  directed  the  driver  to  take  him  to  respectable,  but  very 
quiet  hotel  in  the  upper  city.  Here  he  engaged  rooms,  and 
rested  for  the  day.  The  next  morning  he  went  to  the  banks, 
drew  the  interest  of  the  million  which  had  not  been  touched, 
and  deposited  the  sums  he  had  realized  from  the  sale  of  his 
patent  in  Europe.  Next  he  drove  around  to  inspect  various 
properties  which  were  offered  for  sale.  After  a  careful  inves- 
tigation he  finally  selected  one,  which  lay  in  a  retired  portion 
of  the  city,  and  bordered  on  two  streets,  one  of  which  was 
quite  fashionable,  while  the  other  skirted  a  modest  quarter  in- 
habited by  poor  people.  There  was  a  stately  house  on  the 
former  and  a  modest  little  cottage  on  the  latter.  A  continued 
yard  ran  from  one  to  the  other  with  a  narrow  alley  in  the 
middle,  used  to  remove  the  garbage  of  the  householders. 
Richard  at  once  went  to  the  agent,  paid  down  the  entire  sum, 
and  requested  him  to  make  out   the   deed  without  delay.     By 


EITHER,  OR.  i33 

this  time  his  presence  in  the  city  had  become  known,  and  the 
evening  papers  contained  a  long  notice  to  the  effect  that  the 
celebrated  inventor  of  the  new  telephone  had  returned  from 
Europe,  with  the  intention  of  taking  up  his  abode  in  Plutopo- 
lis,  for  which  purpose  he  had  already  purchased  a  house. 
Richard  had  expected  nothing  else,  nor  did  he  care,  for  he  had 
learned  long  ago,  that  the  virtue  of  owning  millions  can- 
not well  be  hid  under  a  bushel.  He  smiled  grimly  when  he 
read  about  his  intentions,  saying  half  loud,  and  with  a  touch 
of  sarcasm  :  "Ye  fools;  much  indeed  do  you  know  of  Richard 
Velder's  intentions.  You  are  surely  welcome  to  your  cunning 
deductions." 

When  he  had  completed  this  transaction  he  took  Gottlieb 
to  the  premises  which  were  vacant,  led  him  into  the  cellar  of 
the  mansion  and  said: 

"Now,  Gottlieb,  I  want  the  cellar  of  these  two  houses  to 
be  connected  by  a  narrow  passage ;  but  the  workmen  must 
not  know  what  they  are  doing.  Have  the  front  passage  ex- 
cavated to  this  side  of  the  alley,  and  then  the  rear  passage  to 
the  far  side.     Do  you  understand  me?" 

"Certainly,  Herr  Velder.  How  wide  is  the  passage 
to  be?" 

"Oh,  say  three  feet.  Tell  the  workmen  it  is  intended  to 
store  the  wine,  and  observe  no  secrecy  to  avoid  suspicion.  I 
think  you  can  find  some  countrymen  of  yours,  who  have 
recently  come  to  this  country  and  are  ignorant  of  the  lan- 
guage." 

"  I  think,  I  could  ;  but  the  passage  will  have  to  be  arched 
as  we  proceed." 

"  Certainly.  I  give  you  carte  blanche  for  everything  con- 
nected with  the  work." 

"  All  right,  Herr  Velder,  I  shall  try  to  secure  your  ap- 
probation ;  but  what  about  the  ends  ;  are  they  to  be  walled 
up?" 

"No,  Gottlieb,  for  I  intend  uniting  the  passages  under 
the  alley." 


134  EITHER,  OR. 

"  That's  what  I  thought,  sir.  We  must  invent  some  pre- 
text for  this  odd  proceeding." 

"  Invent  something  plausible,  Gottlieb." 

"  But  the  ground  that's  excavated :  where  can  we  take 
it?" 

"  I  will  ascertain.  I  shall  be  absent  for  several  days,  and 
you  will  oblige  me  by  using  all  dispatch  in  this  matter,  as  I 
wish  to  have  both  houses  ready  for  use." 

"  And  the  little  one,  Herr  Velder?  " 

"  Will  be  yours  and  Sophie's." 

"That's  what  I  thought,  sir.  You  see  I  can  see  through 
a  board  when  there  is  a  hole  in  it." 

"  Well,  I  know  you  are  quite  clever,  Gottlieb.  Now  go, 
get  the  necessary  workmen  and  report  this  evening  at  the 
hotel.     Do  not  forget  the  estimate  of  the  cost.'" 

With  this  he  left  to  take  his  northern  line  of  steam  cars 
to  the  open  country  just  beyond  the  suburbs.  There  he  as- 
cended a  slight  knoll,  which  allowed  a  view  over  the  neigh- 
borhood. What  he  saw,  was  this:  There  were  hardly  any 
houses  on  the  north  and  east  x'or  the  distance  of  a  mile,  simply 
for  the  reason  that  a  tributary  of  Crab  River  ran  through  low 
ground,  swamping  the  neighborhood  to  its  mouth.  This 
tributary  meandered  through  the  land  in  true  snake  fashion, 
describing  curves  fully  three  miles  long  over  a  distance  of 
hardly  a  third  that  long.  The  tributary  wound  around  the 
base  of  the  knoll,  and  Richard  saw  that  a  cut  of  about  three 
hundred  yards  through  this  knoll,  would  not  only  straighten 
the  course  of  the  creek,  but  take  it  to  higher  and  more  favor- 
able ground.  True,  it  would  require  much  labor  and  more 
money  to  correct  the  bed  from  there  to  its  mouths,  but  it 
could  be  done,  and  such  correction  would  undoubtedly  reclaim 
a  large  piece  of  valuable  ground,  which,  when  laid  dry,  would 
at  once  be  sought  for  homes  of  people  working  in  Plutopolis. 
Richard's  attention  had  been  drawn  to  this  swamp  by  its 
owner,  who  lived  in  Paris,  and  was  desirous  of  disposing  of 
property  which  yielded  no  income,  and  cost  a  considerable 
sum  in  the  shape  of  taxes.'' 


EITHER,  OR.  135 

"  I  suppose  I  could  reclaim  the  land"  he  had  said  to 
Richard  ;  "but  the  fact  is,  I  lack  the  ready  cash  and  am  too 
fond  of  ease  and  tranquility-  to  go  over  there  and  superintend 
the  work.  You  are  young  and  active,  have  the  needful  means 
and  could  surely  double  your  money  if  you  purchased  the 
tract." 

"  Well,  how  much  is  there  of  it,  and  how  much  an  acre 
do  you  want?" 

"  Just  a  thousand  acres,  and  if  you  wish  to  purchase 
them  you  can  have  them  at  $200  an  acre." 

"  That  is  for  $200,000?  " 

"Exactly  :  $200,000  cash,  mind." 

"  Will  you  give  me  the  refusal  until  I  can  examine  the 
place  ?  " 

"  How  long  will  that  be? " 

"  I  intend  starting  for  home  in  a  few  weeks.  I  will  en- 
gage to  decide  within  three  months." 

The  owner  had  accepted  this  proposal  and  as  the  three 
months  were  nearly  over,  Richard  had  used  his  first  spare  day 
to  investigate  the  place.  We  know  him  to  be  above  greed}' 
and  selfish  speculations,  but  he  had  forseen  that  the  day  was 
near  at  hand  when  he  would  need  both  work  and  homes  for 
his  proteges,  and  if  this  swamp  was  really  redeemable,  he 
could  surely  find  no  spot  more  suitable  for  his  purpose.  He 
did  not  pretend  to  have  any  experience  in  such  matters, 
but  he  felt  pretty  sure  that  labor  and  money  could  easily  re- 
claim the  land,  and  at  a  cost  quite  moderate  in  proportion  to 
its  value.  The  owner  had  given  him  the  address  of  his  agent 
and  no  sooner  had  our  friend  returned  to  the  city  than  he 
hunted  up  his  man.  He  found  him  in  his  office,  and  when 
Richard  had  told  him  the  nature  of  his  errand  he  replied  : 
"  You  are  doing  a  deucedly  clever  thing,  Mr.  Yelder.  In  fact, 
if  I  could  rake  up  the  money  I  would  buy  myself;  but  you  see 
it's  to  be  all  cash,  and  that's  what  keeps  us  small  fry  from 
taking  the  bait — well,  I  will  write  at  once,  and — " 

"Telegraph,  sir,  if  you  please;   I'll  foot  the  bill." 

"All  right,  just  as  you  say.     The   submarine  cable  office 


136  EITHER,  OR. 

is  only  a  few  doors  from  here,  and  if  you  wish  it.  we  may  go 
there  without  delay." 

They  went  accordingly,  and  three  hours  later  the  agent 
held  in  his  possession  a  return  message,  authorizing  him  to 
accept  $200,000  cash  for  the  tract,  and  to  use  the  power  of 
attorney  in  his  hands  to  make  out  and  sign  the  deed  of  trans- 
fer. So  when  Richard  called  the  next  morning  he  found 
everything  ready,  and  on  payment  of  a  check  for  the  stipu- 
lated sum,  was  handed  the  document  making  him  the  owner 
of  a  swamp  of  one  thousand  acres.  We  must  not  forget  that 
Gottlieb  had  reported  the  evening  before  to  the  effect  that  he 
had  engaged  the  men,  carts  and  horses  necessary  to  excavate 
the  soil,  remove  it,  and  construct  the  arched  passage." 

"And  when  will  they  begin?  " 

"To-morrow  morning,  Herr  Richard.  They  are  all  of 
them  Germans.  Indeed,  the  ward  back  of  the  house  swarms 
with  them." 

"That's  well,  for  we  may  need  them  again  in  the  future, 
and  we  may  recruit  our  members  largely  from  them." 

"I  know  we  can,  for  every  second  one  of  them  is  a  con- 
firmed socialist." 

Gottlieb  proved  himself  a  very  efficient  superintendent, 
for  when  Richard  returned  from  a  week's  journey,  he  found 
the  work  completed,  and  the  houses  ready  for  occupancy. 
With  the  assistance  of  his  aunt,  Richard  purchased  the  need- 
ful furniture  for  both  houses,  besides  the  thousand  and  one 
articles  absolutely  necessary  for  our  complicated  wants.  The 
cottage  in  the  back  street  had  a  little  store-room,  a  circum- 
stance inspiring  Richard  with  the  idea  of  opening  a  little 
grocery  in  the  same,  and  installing  Gottlieb  and  Sophie  as 
presiding  geniuses.  True,  they  knew  but  little  of  the  lan- 
guage of  the  country,  but  they  were  apt  scholars,  especially 
Sophie,  and  then,  it  does  not  take  a  big  vocabulary  to  sell  a 
pound  of  coffee,  or  a  peck  of  potatoes.  Besides,  according  to 
Gottlieb's  statement,  the  ward  back  of  the  property  was  full 
of  Germans,  and  these  would  naturally  wish  to  patronize  their 
countryman,  provided,  of  course,  he  kept  prime  groceries,  and 


EITHER,  OR.  137 

sold  as  cheap  as  anybody  else.  We  need  hardly  to  say  that  it 
was  not  the  prospect  of  gain  which  influenced  Richard  in 
the  establishment  of  the  grocery,  but  the  idea  of  constant  con- 
course of  the  people  there.  A  grocer  as  a  barometer,  indi- 
cating with  unfailing  certainity  the  ;  condition  of  the  masses, 
their  notions,  hopes,  wishes  and  aspirations.  Next  Gottlieb 
was  bidden  to  secure  the  needful  help  for  a  thorough  cleaning 
of  the  buildings,  and  then  the  two  families  moved  in.  It 
need  hardly  be  intimated,  that  no  sign  whatever  indicated 
any  intimacy  between  the  grocer  and  his  wife,  and  the  aristo- 
cratic occupants  of  the  front  mansion,  as  the  knowledge  of  such 
relations  or  connection  would  have  endangered  if  not  frustrated 
Richard's  designs.  Next  he  and  Gottlieb  completed  the  pas- 
sage under  the  alley.  Gottlieb  had  provided  for  enough 
bricks  and  mortar,  allowing  a  rapid  and  steady  construction 
of  the  arched  way.  The  earth  was  removed  to  the  cellar,  and 
afterwards  carted  away.  In  the  middle  of  the  new  tunnel,  an 
iron  door  was  placed,  moving  horizontally  on  a  central  bar, 
which,  in  turn,  was  fastened  in  the  wall  above,  and  in  a  solid 
support  below.  The  door  fitted  tight  in  the  aperture,  and 
when  it  had  been  painted  in  imitation  of  brick  work,  no  un- 
suspecting person  could  have  distinguished  it  from  real 
masonry  in  the  darkness.  Richard  stocked  the  new  grocery 
most  liberally,  selecting  the  goods  in  accordance  with  the 
class  of  customers  likely  to  patronize  the  establishment. 
Both  Gottlieb  and  Sophie  took  great  interest  and  pride  in  the 
concern,  and  soon  reported  such  marked  improvements  in 
their  trade  that  the  success  of  the  enterprise  was  assured. 

Now  a  few  words  regarding  Richard's  journey.  We  have 
already  intimated  that  he  had  thought  long  and  deeply  on  the 
subject  uppermost  in  his  mind  and  heart.  These  thoughts 
has  led  to  the  purchase  of  the  swampy  tract ;  they  now  caused 
the  purchase  of  very  extensive  tracts  of  farming  land  in  Plu- 
tonia,  the  State  to  which  Plutopolis  belongs,  and  in  half  a 
dozen  other  States,  some  north,  some  south, all  of  them  adapted 
to  colonization.  As  yet  the  colonists  were  wanting;  but 
Richard  forsaw  that  he    would  soon  have  more  than  he  could 


i38  EITHER,  OR. 

accommodate.  He  spent  several  millions  in  these  purchases, 
and  when  the  people  heard  of  them  they  nodded  knowingly, 
called  him  a  sly  dog,  and  predicted  that  they  would  prove 
paying  investments. 

When  he  returned  from  this  trip  he  shut  himself  up  in  his 
room,  and  for  a  week  or  two  paid  little  heed  to  anything 
without.  At  the  end  of  this  seclusion,  he  called  his  aunt  into 
the  room  and  said  : 

"  Here,  Aunt  Laura,  is  another  gold  spring  for  our 
coffers." 

"  What !  you  greedy  boy,  are  you  insensible?  Have  you 
not  already  more  than  you  can  use? " 

"  Far  from  it,  aunty.  Let  me  once  begin  operations  and 
you  will  see  our  cash  wilt  and  vanish  as  the  dry  grass  van- 
ishes before  a  fire." 

"  And  do  you  expect  this  to  pay  as  well  as  your  tele- 
phone?" 

"  No  Aunt  Laura.  You  see  a  phonograph  is  not  in 
such  general  demand." 

"  A  phonograph  :     What  is  a  phonograph  ?  " 

"  An  instrument  which  records  a  person's  sayings,  and 
afterwards  reproduces  them  on  turning  a  crank." 

"You  are  making  sport  of  me  Richard." 

"How  would  I  dare,  Aunt  Laura?  No,  no,  this  is  no 
new  thing,  as  phonographs  have  been  invented  long  since. 
Only  mine  is  as  far  above  the  old  ones  as  my  telephone  above 
its  rivals." 

"  I  do  not  conceive  how  this  is  possible." 

"  Let  me  show  you  then.  Watch,  I  move  this  bolt  and 
now  proceed  to  read  to  you  Hamlet's  instructions  to  the  actors. 
Listen  : 

He  opened  a  small  volume  and  read  aloud  and  with  be- 
coming emphasis  the  famous  piece  in  question.  When  he  had 
done  he  moved  another  bolt,  and  then  to  his  relative's  utter 
amazement,  not  to  say  consternation,  the  machine  repeated 
the  piece,  not  only  loud  and  distinctly,  but  in  Richard's  voice 
and  with  the  emphasis   he  had  given    the  words.       When  all 


EITHER,  OR.  139 

was  over,  Mrs.  Kean  drew  a  deep  and  long  breath,  saying 
with  an  agitation  quite  unusual  to  her  :  "  Well  this  beats  me. 
I  am  sure,  two  hundred  years  ago  the  inventor  of  such  a 
machine  would  have  been  in  danger  of  an  autodafe." 

"No  doubt  of  it,  Aunt  Laura.  Now,  however,  they  will 
be  used  to  ferret  out  the  iniquity  of  scoundrels  and  traitors^" 

"Well,  I  won't  ask  any  more  questions,  Richard,  for  I  am 
getting  into  deep  water.  And  will  you  sell  this  machine  to 
the  same  party?" 

"I  promised  him  the  refusal,  you  know.  You  cannot  im- 
agine what  satisfaction  I  derive  from  the  thought,  that  the 
same  agency  which  ruined  my  parents,  furnishes  me  the 
means  to  combat  his  power." 

"But  does  he  not  make  more  money  out  of  the  purchase 
of  your  inventions?" 

"He  does.-  Perhaps  my  sentiments  on  this  point  are 
childish,  but  we  all  ride  our  hobby,  you  know,  and  so  you 
must  indulge  me  in  mounting  mine." 

That  very  afternoon  Richard  dropped  a  letter  to  Senator 
Cheatham,  informing  him  of  the  completion  of  his  phonograph, 
and  the  securement  of  a  caveat  for  the  same.  He  informed 
him  that  he  would  exhibit  the  machine  in  Mr.  Phelps's  office 
on  the  following  morning,  stating  at  the  same  time  that  he 
wrould  accept  one  million  dollars  for  the  absolute  sale  of  the 
invention.  At  nine  o'clock  he  drove  to  the  bureau,  where  he 
had  served  so  eventful  a  term,  Mr.  Phelps  received  him  with 
open  arms,  and  gazed  curiously  at  the  machine  which  Richard 
carried  under  his  arm,  and  deposited  carefully  on  the  table. 
He  was  on  the  point  of  asking  many  questions,  when  the 
door  opened,  admitting  no  less  a  person  than  the  great  states- 
man and  financier.  This  time  Richard  stood  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  table,  but  whether  it  was  this  circumstance  or  a 
recollection  of  his  former  experience,  the  statesman  contended 
himself  with  a  gracious  nod  of  his  head,  and  a  very  affable  : 
"A  very  good  morning  to  you,  Mr.  Velder."  After  shaking 
hands  with  Mr.  Phelps  and  taking  a  chair  the  Senator  resumed  : 
"I  received  your  letter,  and   hastened  to  obey  your  summons. 


Ho  EITHER.  OR. 

It  is  but  fair  to  inform  you  that  the  purchase  of  your  telephone 
has  been  such  an  extraordinary  good  venture,  that  I,  or  rather 
our  syndicate  is  favorably  inclined  to  make  a  second  deal  with 
you.     What  have  you  to  offer  this  time?" 

Instead  of  making  a  reply,  Richard  shoved  his  bolt  as. 
he  had  done  in  showing  the  working  of  the  machine  to  his 
aunt,  and  then  handing  Mr.  Phelps  a  newspaper,  said  to  that 
gentleman:  "Please  read  the  editorial  of  this  paper."  Mr. 
Phelps  evidently  did  not  know  what  to  make  of  such  a  request, 
but  an  encouraging  nod  on  the  part  of  the  Senator  reassured 
him,  and  he  began  to  read  in  a  tolerably  impressive  manner,, 
the  utter  condemnation  of  the  policy  advocated  by  the  Sena- 
tor's party.  This  amused  Richard  and  even  over  the  Senator's 
face  passed  a  broad  grin,  showing  that  he  was  not  dead  to  the 
humor  of  the  incident.  The  manager,  on  the  other  hand, 
winced  under  the  scathing  remarks,  and  benefitted  by  the  end 
of  the  first  paragraph  to  bring  his  elocutionary  exercise  to 
an  end.  When  he  had  done  Richard  reversed  the  bolt,  saying 
merely  "Listen." 

And  then  arose  from  the  box,  in  accents  loud  and  distinct,. 
Mr.  Phelps'  voice,  causing  not  only  that  gentleman,  but  even 
the  Senator,  to  rise  from  his  chair,  and  listen  with  amazement, 
hardly  less  intense  than  that  of  Mrs.  Kean  on  the  afternoon 
before. 

"Well,  this  beats  all,"  cried  Mr.  Phelps,  after  his  "alter 
ego"  had  stopped  wiping  from  his  forehead  the  large  drops  of 
perspiration  which  had  gathered  there  in  profusion. 

"It  is  wonderful,"  seconded  the  Senator.  "Mr.  Velder,  I 
know  you  to  be  a  man  of  few  words,  so  I  will  simplv  say,  I 
accept  your  offer  and  3'our  terms,  even  without  reporting  to 
our  friends.     How  soon  will  your  patent  be  ready?  " 

"  As  soon  as  the  formalities  of  the  law  permits.  I  shall 
take  this  model  to  Patropolis  to-morrow." 

"  I  shall  also  depart  for  that  city  in  a  day  or  two  and  use 
my  influence  to  push  the  matter.  Ah,  you  are  going  to  leave, 
us?      Adieu,  then,  do  not  forget  that  this  invention  is  mine." 

There  is  no  necessity  to  follow  up  the  details  of  this  trau- 


EITHER,  OR.  141 

saction.  It  will  suffice  to  state  that  in  less  than  four  months, 
Richard's  bank  account  had  increased  another  round  million. 
A  few  days  after  the  interview  described  above  Richard  sat  in 
consultation  with  his  aunt,  saying : 

"  Aunty  dear,  I'll  have  to  burden  you  with  the  general 
supervision  of  my  affairs  during  my  absence.  You  may  fix 
your  own  salary.  May  I  venture  to  assume  that  this  conces- 
sion is  sufficiently  tempting  to  make  you  accede  to  my  wishes?" 

"  This  concession  has  no  force  at  all  Dick.  Foolish  boy, 
don't  you  see  that  your  liberality  has  reduced  its  value  with 
me  to  absolute  zero?  " 

"Ah,  is  that  it?  Well,  what  other  wishes  must  I  pull 
then." 

"  The  heart  strings  my  dear  boy.  Did  you  actually  think 
I  could  refuse  you  anything?  " 

"  Not  even  a  kiss,  aunty.'' 

"  Here  are  two,  you  silly  boy.  Well  I  will  try  to  manage 
3Tour  affairs,  but  must  positively  refuse  to  keep  your  books." 

"Ah?" 

"  Yes,  but  I  will  suggest  an  outlet  from  this  dilemma." 

"  Do  you  remember  my  brother-in-law,  Clarence  Simp- 
son? " 

"  The  one  we  used  to  call  Uncle  Calculus  ?  " 

"  Yes,  you  naughty  boy.  It  was  too  bad,  but  I  must  con- 
fess there  never  was  a  nickname  more  properly  applied,  for 
Brother  Clarence  is  really  but  a  living  example.  While  other 
people  live  on  steak,  gruel  and  other  substantial  he  seems  to 
feed  upon  nothing  but  numbers.  You  know  he  is  a  clerk  in 
a  bank  of  Patropolis,  and  one  should  think  that  an  eight 
hours  stay  there  would  satisfy  him.  This,  however,  is  not  the 
case,  for  no  sooner  has  he  come  home  and  crammed  a  hasty 
supper,  than  he  sits  down  aud  begins  to  work  some  of  the 
greatest  difficulties  with  numbers  rising  to  billions  and  tril- 
lions. You  know  he  is  a  batchelor.  I  honestly  believe  that 
he  only  remained  single  to  indulge  freely  this  strange  fascina- 
tion of  numbers." 


[42  EITHER.  OK. 

"  Well,  he  is  an  oddity  to  be  sure.  But  what  has  he  to 
do  with  this  matter?  " 

"  Well  if  you  hold  out  to  hi  in  the  prospects  of  calcula- 
tions he  could  scarcely  resist  the  temptations,  and  in  him  you 
would  not  merely  secure  a  fellow  as  honest  as  honesty  itself, 
but  an  expert  who  could  keep  your  accounts  so  lucidly  that  a 
little  child  could  see  through  them." 

Richard  thought  this  suggestion  an  excellent  one.  So  he 
wrote  to  Uncle  Calculus,  offered  him  the  situation  of  book- 
keeper, cashier,  and  teller  all  in  one,  with  the  prospects  of 
endless  ciphering  and  a  salary  considerably  higher  than  that 
which  he  enjoyed  in  his  present  position.  This  letter  had  the 
desired  effect.  Uncle  Calculus  accepted  Richard's  offer  and 
informed  him  that  he  might  expect  him  in  a  week,  and  at  the 
end  of  that  period  Uncle  Calculus  really  put  in  his  appearance. 
A  room  in  the  second  story  had  been  prepared  for  him,  and 
the  front  room  of  the  basement  for  a  cosy  and  convenient  of- 
fice. Richard  presented  his  factotum  to  the  banks,  informing 
them  that  Mr.  Clarence  Simpson  was  authorized  to  issue 
checks  if  countersigned  by  Mrs.  Laura  Keau,  and  then  duly 
installed  him  in  his  office,  where  he  was  soon  heels  over  head 
engaged  in  catering  to  his  passion  for  numbers.  With  Sophie's 
aid  a  chambermaid  and  cook  were  secured,  both  hailing  from 
the  Fatherland  in  the  first  place,  and  from  the  ward  near 
the  grocery,  in  the  second.  They  proved  good  and  efficient 
helpmates,  and  greatly  facilitated  Richard's  impending  meta- 
morphosis, in  as  far  as  they  relieved  his  mind  as  to  the  proper 
support  in  the  household  duties  of  his  dear  ones.  He  Was  now 
frequently  closeted  with  his  aunt,  to  whom  he  confided  his  in- 
tentions regarding  the  draining  of  the  swamp  and  other 
schemes  connected  with  his  land  purchases.  He  took  her  out 
to  the  tract,  showed  her  where  the  knoll  was  to  be  cut  and 
pointed  out  the  bed  for  the  creek  from  that  point  to  its  mouth. 
"Of  course  I  shall  engage  a  superintendent  skilled  in  such 
work,"  but  as  he  will  have  to  report  progress  to  you  it  is  fair 
that  you  should  know  whether  he  does  his  duty.  I  am  aware, 
dear  aunty,  that  I  am  thus  taxing  your  strength  to  the  utmost 


EITHER,  OR.  143 

and  perhaps  in  an  unpardonable  manner  ;  but  I  need  not  re- 
mind you  that  you  work  for  mankind,  not  for  me.  Moreover, 
you  must  totally  abstain  from  working  in  the  house,  leaving 
such  trifling  and  mental  tasks  to  the  parties  I  have  engaged. 
Will  you  promise? " 

"Yes,  my  dear  boy,"  she  replied,  touched  by  his  tender 
solicitude. 

"All  right,  then.  I  shall  execute  a  power  of  attorney  in 
your  behalf,  authorizing  you  to  represent  me  in  every  respect, 
as  Richard  Velder  is  going  abroad,  and  will  hardly  visit  Occi- 
dentia  oftenerthan  twice  a  year." 

"And  when  does  he  expect  to  leave?" 

"As  soon  as  he  can  get  a  Saratoga  of  the  proper  size,"  he 
replied  with  a  smile.  "Now  let  us  go  home,  as  I  have  lots  to 
do  before  my  departure." 

On  his  way  home  he  said  :  "Aunt  Laura,  I  have  made 
arrangements  with  the  livery  stable  across  the  grocery,  to 
stable  and  tend  these  horses.  Send  for  them  whenever  you 
need  them.  There  will  be  many  an  occasion,  when  you  want 
to  move  rapidly,  unexposed  to  the  publicity  of  the  street  car. 
In  such  cases  do  not  hesitate  to  use  the  carriage.  Moreover 
Elinor  and  the  boy  have  to  have  plenty  of  drives  in  the  open 
air,  so  do  not  spare  the  horses,  which  might  suffocate  with  fat, 
if  standing  in  their  stalls  from  morning  'till  night. 

During  the  next  week  Richard  indulged  in  work  of  a 
motley  character  calculated  to  excite  the  disability  of  any  one 
uninitiated.  He  caused  Gottlieb  to  purchase  the  complete 
outfit  of  a  wandering  scissor  grinder,  and  then  ground  knives 
and  scissors  by  the  hour,  spoiling  them  by  the  dozen,  to  the 
great  chagrin  of  Sophie,  who  declared  with  a  mixture  of 
merriment  and  indignation,  that  there  would  soon  be  a  rise  in 
the  price  of  these  articles.  Richard,  however,  exhibited  his 
habitual  cleverness  in  this,  as  in  other  arts,  learning  readily  to 
grind  edged  instruments  of  all  descriptions  in  a  manner  truly 
scientific. 

Next  he  got  his  factotum  to  procure  soldering  irons  of 
all  shapes  and  sizes,  together  with  the  most  approved  sorts  of 


i44  EITHER,  OR. 

solder,  both  hard  and  soft,  to  say  nothing  of  boxes  of  rosin, 
bottles  of  muriatic  acid,  and  other  substances  connected  with 
the  high,  and  to  the  uninitiated,  mysterious  art  of  soldering. 
Then  he  demanded  the  surrender  of  tin  pails,  pans,  dishes  and 
plates,  from  the  store,  to  punch  holes  into  them,  and  then  re- 
store them  to  their  primitive  intactness.  To  this,  however, 
Sophie  objected,  delivering  such  an  impressive  sermon  on  the 
same  of  such  a  waste,  that  Richard  retracted  his  order  with 
due  humility,  influenced  perhaps  by  her  promise  to  procure 
for  him  all  the  dilapidated  timvare  he  could  possibly  manage. 
She  was  indeed  as  good  as  her  word,  and  soon  our  friend  was 
surrounded  by  a  wall  of  pans,  dishes  and  kettles,  looking  for 
the  world  like  the  rampart  of  a  fortified  city.  Richard  went 
to  work  with  a  will,  but  found  the  tin  covered  with  so  much 
grease,  that  he  called  Sophie  and  told  her  with  a  mien  of  pro- 
test that  he  could  not  solder  such  greasy  tinware.  However, 
if  he  had  expected  to  see  her  relent,  he  was  sadly  mistaken. 

"Why,  Herr  Velder,"  she  cried  in  genuine  surprise;  "you 
don't  expect  people  to  give  you  their  new  tinware  to  mend? 
All  pans  and  kettles  are  greasy,  and  most  generally  greasier 
than  these.  So,  unless  you  can  solder  these,  you  might  as 
well  give  up  the  idea  of  soldering  old  tinware." 

This  logic  was  so  irrefutable  that  Richard  did  not  even 
make  the  attempt,  but  set  to  scraping  the  greasy  edges,  or 
washing  them  with  biting  acids,  until  his  fingers  were  sore  or 
blistered  from  one  end  to  the  other.  However  neither  sores 
nor  blisters  had  the  power  of  checking  his  purposes,  and  after 
an  apprenticeship  of  several  days,  Richard  succeeding  in  stop- 
ping a  leak  in  a  moderately  acceptable  fashion.  When  Sophie 
told  him  that  hisVepairs  were  hardlv  durable  he  replied  with  a 
laugh,  that  durability  was  a  feature  calculated  to  kill  the  busi- 
ness, and  that  she  could  hardly  expect  him  to  bring  about 
starvation  by  his  own  efforts. 

"There  was  a  third  and  last  branch  of  business  to  wThich 
Richard  meant  to  devote  himself,  i.  e.,  the  mending  of  um- 
brellas. To  learn  the  trade,  however,  he  must  procure  an 
abundance  of  old  umbrellas,  with  the  understanding  that  their 


EITHER,  OR.  145 

repairs  should  not  provoke  as  many  suits  for  damages.  True, 
there  was  a  supply  of  new  umbrellas  in  the  store,  but,  in  spite 
of  his  undoubted  pluck,  he  had  not  the  courage  to  propose 
their  destruction  for  the  sake  of  his  own  improvement.  Here 
again  the  good  woman  came  to  the  rescue.  She  went  among 
her  country  folks  in  the  neighboring  ward,  and  traded  in  so 
many  delapidated  umbrellas  for  small  quantities  of  groceries, 
as  to  create  a  second  rampart  more  formidable  than  the  first. 
Next  the  needful  pinchers,  tongs,  gimlets,  etc.,  etc.,  were 
secured,  together  with  the  material  for  new  covers,  new  ribs, 
new  handles,  and  then  Richard  began  his  work.  Before  the 
end  of  the  first  day,  he  discovered  that  if  telephone  and  phon- 
ograph present  points  of  difficulties,  the  mending  of  umbrellas 
is  not  without  its  trials.  Now  the  new  cover  refused  to  as- 
sume a  smooth  and  creditable  surface  :  next  the  ribs  objected 
to  be  twisted  into  the  proper  shape,  and,  at  other  times,  the 
handles  would  wiggle  waggle  in  an  alarming  manner,  totally 
unbecoming  to  a  decent  umbrella.  When  this  turn  of  ap- 
prenticeship was  over,  Richard  felt  much  pride,  saying  to  his 
aunt:  "Aunt  Eaura,  if  you  want  to  try  a  man's  mettle,  set  him 
to  mending  umbrellas.  If  he  does  not  quit  at  the  end  of  the 
first  hour,  consider  him  a  pretty  patient  individual;  and  if  he 
perseveres,  set  him  down  as  a  mortal  of  uncommon  endurance.' ' 

These  preparations  had  consumed  several  weeks,  and 
Richard  became  quite  nervous  and  impatient ;  yet  he  knew 
that  one  more  task  had  to  be  performed  before  he  could  enter 
on  his  real  work. 

He  needed  a  number  of  essays  on  the  subject  of  social  re- 
forms, their  necessity  and  the  best  mode  of  accomplishing 
them.  These  essays  must  be  in  the  shape  of  addresses  to  the 
people,  adapted  to  their  various  trades  and  conditions,  clothed 
in  language  simple,  yet  eloquent.  Truth  is  convincing  if  the 
ear  is  willing  to  receive  it,  and  the  mind  to  ponder  upon  it ; 
but  much  depends  upon  the  form  in  which  it  is  presented. 
Richard  knew  that  much  would  depend  upon  the  execution 
of  this  task,  and  therefore  went  to  work  with  due  diligence, 
and  a  concentration  of  his  mental  faculties  on  this  one  point. 


146  KITHER.  OR. 

He  shut  himself  up  in  his  room,  working  from  earl}-  dawn  to 
dusk  at  night  with  such  unwearied  assiduity  as  to  fill  Mrs.  Kean 
with  the  fear  of  seeing  him  break  down  under  this  strain  of 
brain  work.  Richard  laughed  at  such  an  apprehension,  assur- 
ing her  that  this  work  was  child's  play  in  comparison  with  the 
tension  to  which  his  mind  had  been  subject  to  for  weeks  and 
months,  when  engaged  with  his  inventions.  At  last  the  work 
was  done  and  on  that  evening  he  informed  his  aunt  and  sister 
that  he  intended  leaving  them  on  the  following  morning,  and 
that  his  absence  would  probably  last  several  months.  This 
declaration  was  intended  for  Elinor,  and  the  servants  as  well 
as  Uncle  Calculus,  who  though  highly  honorable  and  trust- 
worthy, was  so  absorbed  in  his  figures  as  to  become  forgetful 
in  matters  not  connected  with  his  work  and  liable  to  betray 
unintentionally  secrets  entrusted  to  his  keeping.  Mrs.  Kean 
knew  where  Richard  was  going  and  that  she  would  probably 
see  him  every  day,  yet  her  heart  was  rather  heavy  when  he 
left  them  that  evening,  and  she  kissed  him  with  the  fervor  of 
a  mother  who  sees  a  darling  child  embark  on  the  treacherous 
waves  of  an  uncertain  sea. 


CHAPTER  X. 

DICK    BROWN    THE    TINKER. 

"  Please,  ma'am,  there  is  a  fellow  in  the  yard  as  wants  to 
know  whether  you  have   any  knives  or   scissors  to  grind?  " 

These  words  were  addressed  to  Mrs.  Kean  by  her  new 
maid  on  the  following  morning.  Mrs.  Kean  had  expected 
some  announcement  of  that  kind  :  so  she  said:  "Yes  Anna, 
I  have  a  pair  of  scissors  which  I  would  like  to  have  sharpened. 
In  the  yard,  did  you  say?  " 

The  girl  nodded  and  left  the  room,  followed  by  her  mis- 
tress, who  on  reaching  the  yard,  found  a  young  fellow  stand- 
ing there  ready  for  business.  He  wore  corduroy  pants  of 
ample  dimensions,  disappearing  below  in  a    pair  of  top  boots. 


EITHER.  OR.  147 

A  long  jacket  of  the  same  material  reached  a  few  inches  below 
his  hips,  and  on  his  head  he  wore  a  broad-brimmed  slouched 
hat  of  doubtful  age.  His  hair  and  beard  were  of  a  deep  brown 
giving  him  a  southern  appearance,  strengthened  by  his  bronze 
skin  which  seemed  to  have  been  long  and  recklessh  exposed 
to  the  sun  of  Italy  or  Spain.  The  fellow  looked  indeed  like 
a  foreigner,  and  when  he  said,  "Good  morning  Madam  ;  "  his 
accent  also  pointed  to  a  foreign  birth.  Mrs.  Kean  watched 
first  the  man,  and  then  the  twTo  domestics  who  examined  him 
with  curious  but  unsuspicious  looks,  assuring  Mrs.  Kean  that 
they  failed  to  recognize  in  the  tinker  the  young  master  who 
had  left  the  house  the  evening  before.  Mrs.  Kean  felt  relieved. 
The  disguise  was  efficient,  for  if  inmates  of  the  house  failed  to 
discover  it,  strangers  would  not  be  likely  to  see  through  it.  She 
handed  the  fellow  a  pair  of  scissors,  saying  :  "When  they  are 
done  come  into  my  room  ;  I  have  an  umbrella  which  needs 
mending." 

"All  right"  replied  the  tinker,  and  set  to  work,  while  Mrs. 
Kean  returned  to  the  house.  When  the  scissors  were 
sharpened  the  tinker  addressed  the  cook  saying :  "Please 
ma'am  where  is  the  lady's  room?  "  He  was  shown  up  stairs 
pretending  the  ignorance  of  a  total  stranger.  A  minute 
later  he  stood  in  the  presence  of  his  aunt,  who  closed  the  door 
cautiously  and  said  in  a  low  tone  :  "Well,  I  must  say  you 
managed  this  pretty  cleverly.  How  did  you  color  your  hair 
and  skin?1     Will  the  dye  not  be  injurious  to  your  health]*" 

"  No,  aunty  dear,  it  is  nothing  but  a  decoction  of  some 
harmless  herbs  which  will  yield  to  soap  and  water.  Besides 
exposure  to  the  sun  will  soon  tan  my  skin  sufficiently  to  make 
bronzing  it  superfluous.  But  I  must  leave  you,  as  I  have 
many  things  of  moment  to  attend  to.  I  called  principally  for 
the  purpose  of  arranging  daily  interviews  with  you.  At 
what  hour  could  they  be  effected  with  the  least  danger  of 
interruption  or  discovery?" 

"I  have  thought  of  this  and  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
the  hour  of  nine  in  the  evening:  would  be  most  suitable.      At 


148  either,  or. 

that  time  the  servants  have  retired  to  the  attic  and  Elinor  and 
George  to  their  bed  room." 

"I  shall  go  to  the  office  every  night  at  nine  and  stay  fifteen 
minutes.  If  you  have  not  come  by  that  time  I  shall  assume 
that  you  have  been  detained  and  retire.  How  does  that  strike 
you?" 

"It  is  excellent.  I  can  reach  the  office  from  the  basement 
and  thus  avoid  the  risk  of  meeting  the  girls." 

"Au  revoir,  'till  this  evening." 

He  nodded  and  left  the  room.  In  the  yard  he  shouldered 
his  grinding  apparatus  and  then  entered  the  street  where  he 
hailed  a  horse  car  and  was  taken  to  the  business  portion  of  the 
city.  Here  he  alighted  and  walked  leisurely  along  a  street 
devoted  to  industrial  pursuits  of  various  kinds,  until  he  dis- 
covered a  sign  showing  that  printing  of  all  kinds  was  done  in- 
side. He  walked  in  and  noticing  a  glass  door  at  the  side, 
opened  it.  Before  he  had  crossed  the  threshhold,  a  rough 
voice  inside  exclaimed  curtly  :  "  We  have  nothing  to  do  for 
you ;  get  out." 

The  tinker  paid  no  attention  to;this  summons,  but  con- 
tinued his  advance,  and  deposited  his  machine  with  the 
utmost  "sang  froid"  on  the  floor.  The  act  evidently  pro- 
voked the  owner  of  the  gruff  voice,  for  he  cried  with  increased 
sharpness :  "  Didn't  I  tell  you  that  we  have  no  work  for  you." 

"But  I  have  work  for  you,  sir,"  was  the  cool  rejoinder, 
"that  is  if  you  see  proper  to  do  it." 

"Work?  What  kind  of  work?  We  don't  do  anything  in 
your  line."  ' 

Richard  felt  slightly  provoked  at  this  bluffness,  but  re- 
membering that  he  had  turned  into  a  poor  tinker,  i.  e.,  a  fellow 
not  entitled  to  courtesy  and  consideration,  on  the  part  of  the 
upper  crust,  he  suppressed  his  vexation  and  said  with  his 
former  coolness:  "It  is  printing  I  want  done,  and,  to  judge 
by  the  sign  outside,  this  is  the  proper  place." 

"Ah,  it  is  printing  you  want  done?"  the  party  in  the 
office  exclaimed.     "Hand  bills,  or  circular,  I  suppose?" 

"You  suppose  wrongly,  then,  sir,  for  it  is  a  number  of 


EITHER,  OR.  149 

speeches,  essays,  they  call  them,  I  think,  which  I  want 
printed.  They  tell  me  you  fellows  can  cast  them  in  solid 
sheets,  or  blocks,  and  if  it  don't  come  too  high,  I  should  like 
to  have  them  done  up  in  that  style." 

"Stereotyped,  you  mean,  I  reckon?"  asked  the  clerk, 
smelling  a  bigger  job  than  he  had  at  first  anticipated,  and  in- 
creasing his  civility  accordingly. 

"That's  it,  sir.     I  can't  remember  the  blasted  word." 
"Well,  let  me  see  your  manuscript,  to  enable  me  to  make 
an  estimate  of  the  cost." 

The  tinker  fumbled  in  his  pockets ;  then  drew  forth  a 
bundle  of  sheets,  and  said,  handing  them  to  the  clerk  :  "Here 
they  be,  sir.  Take  good  care  of  them,  for  that's  the  only 
copy,  and  I  wouldn't  wish  to  lose  them  for  a  good  deal." 

The  clerk  took  the  papers  and  cast  a  hasty  glance  over 
the  contents.  He  saw  at  once  that  they  were  penned  by  a 
person  of  culture,  but  of  exceedingly  radical  views.  So  he 
said  rather  patronizingly,  and  with  a  touch  of  paternal  solici- 
tude :     "Who  wrote  these  papers,  my  friend?" 

"A  particular  friend  of  mine.  That's  nothing  to  do  with 
the — the  stereotyping,  has  it?" 

"Not  exactly,"  replied  the  other,  wincing  slightly  under 
this  rebuke.  "I  merely  asked,  because  these  ideas  are  rather 
radical,  and  may  get  you  into  trouble." 

"Is  that  so?  Well,  hand  them  back,  then.  I  wouldn't 
for  the  world  get  you  into  a  scrape." 

The  clerk,  however,  held  on  to  them,  saying  with  a  "hm  !" 
and  a  slight  cough:  "Oh,  it  isn't  as  bad  as  all  that.  We 
will  run  no  risk  in  printing  them,  and  as  to  their  distribution, 
that  is  your  look  out." 

"Well,  tote  up  the  figures,  then.  Time  is  precious,  and  I 
have  to  earn  my  dinner,  you  know." 

"All  right.  Now  I  think  of  it,  these  paper  shears  need 
sharpening,  so  I'll  give  you  a  job  while  I  run  to  the  foreman 
and  get  the  figures.  Say,  would  you  want  some  impressions 
made  of  the  stereotypes?'' 

"Impressions?     How,  so?" 


ISO  EITHER.  OR. 

"I  mean,  would  you  like  to  have  a  few  thousand  copies  of 
each  of  these  articles  ?  " 

"Most  assuredly.  I  want  at  least  fifty  thousand  of  each 
kind." 

Whew.     That  will  cost  you  a  sight  of  money,  my  man." 

"Well,  I  reckon  it  will.  You  just  go  and  ask  the  boss. 
When  you  bring  me  the  figures  I  will  see  whether  I  can  scrape 
up  the  cash  to  pay  for  them." 

He  then  sat  to  work  to  grind  the  shears,  and  the  clerk 
withdrew,  uncertain  whether  he  had  succeeded  in  taking  the 
measure  of  this  customer.  When  he  returned  ten  minutes 
later,  the  tinker  handed  him  the  shears,  saying  proudly  : 
"There's  a  job  for  you,  sir,  as  is  a  job.  If  you  are  as  sharp  as 
them  shears,  you'll  die  a  millionaire  sure.  How  much,  did 
you  ask?"  Only  a  dime,  sir.  Thank  you  sir,"  and  the  tinker 
pocketed  the  coin  with  a  relish  pleasant  to  behold. 

"And  now  lor  your  figures,"  he  resumed:  "What  will  it 
cost  to  have  the  plates  made,  and  how  much  will  you  charge 
for  fifty  thousand  copies  each  ?" 

The  price  is  immaterial,  so  we  pass  it,  but  we  must  not 
forget  the  remarks  of  the  clerk,  when  the  tinker  declared  him- 
self satisfied  and  gave  his  order. 

"You  are  a  stranger  to  us,  Mr. — Mr. — what  did  you  say 
your  name  was?" 

"I  didn't  say  anything,  to  my  knowledge.  Howsoever, 
my  name  is  Dick  Brown,  and  I  aint  ashamed  of  it  neither." 

"I  hope  not,  Mr.  Brown;  but  what  I  meant  is  this:  You 
are  a  total  stranger  to  us,  and  it  is  our  habit  in  such  cases  to 
insist  upon  a  payment  of  half  the  sum  in  advance.  This 
means  no  personal  reflection,  Mr.  Brown,  but  is  merely  a  bus- 
iness precaution  our  experience  has  forced  us  to  adopt." 

"That's  all  right,  sir,"  the  tinker  replied,  diving  in  his 
pocket  and  pulling  forth  a  considerable  roll  of  bills.  "That 
would  be  how  much?" 

The  clerk  smiled  in  making  the  simple  division,  where- 
upon the  tinker  handed  him  the  money,  asking  with  a  sly 
wink  for  a  receipt,  which  was  handed  him. 


EITHER,  OR.  151 

"You  see,"  he  said  dryly,  "this  is  a  precaution  my  speri- 
ence  has  forced  me  to  indopt.  And  when  can  I  call  for  the 
first  batch?" 

The  clerk  mused.  "This  is  Thursday,"  he  said;  "well 
call  next  Saturday  evening,  and  you  can  have  some  of  each 
kind." 

Again  the  tinker  shouldered  his  burden,  calling  from 
door  to  door,  grinding  a  knife  here,  a  pair  of  scissors  there, 
and  occasionally  mending  an  umbrella.  He  sought  private 
houses,  trying  to  get  access  to  kitchens  and  stables  and  en- 
gaging the  inmates  during  his  work  whenever  an  opportunity 
offered.  Towards  noon  he  reached  the  grocery,  where  Sophie 
received  him  with  a  gracious  smile  and  a  substantial  dinner, 
which  he  dispatched  with  the  readiness  of  a  man,  who.se 
stomach  and  conscience  are  both  in  excellent  condition.  Gott- 
lieb and  his  wife  joined  in  the  meal,  although  an  occasional 
tinkling  of  the  store  bell,  compelled  one  of  the  couple  to  with- 
draw for  a  minute  or  two. 

"Well,  Mr.  Brown,"  Gottlieb  inquired,  after  seating 
himself,  "how  do  you  like  the  business  by  this  time?" 

"Immensely,"  replied  Richard.  "You  see  it  pays  first 
rate,  for  I  have  pocketed  one  dollar  and  fifteen  cents  this 
morning.  Besides,  it  gives  one  access  to  the  basement  and 
the  stable,  which  is  of  incalculable  value.  Of  course,  a  fellow 
has  to  be  cautious,  but  when  I  get  my  pamphlets,  I  can  do 
much,  and  I  hope,  efficient  work." 

"But  what  is  one  in  such  a  big  city?  Merely  a  drop  in  an 
ocean." 

"True  enough.  For  that  reason  I  secured  the  assistance 
of  the  documents,  mute,  but  nevertheless  eloquent  preachers. 
Besides,  I  shall  engage  co-workers,  where  and  whenever  I 
meet  them." 

"But  there  are  so  many  frauds,  you  know." 

"That  is  true;  but  you  can  generally  distinguish  the  ring 
of  the  genuine  metal  from  the  spurious  counterfeit.  Besides 
I  have  my  phonographs,  you  know.  With  their  assistance  I 
shall  unearth  manv  a  fraud,  I  warrant.'" 


152  EITHER.  OR. 

"I  trust  you  will;  nay  I  know  you  will,  for  such  zeal  as 
yours  is  always  sure  of  success.  I  wish  I  could  engage  more 
actively  in  the  work.  It  seems  so  trifling  to  sell  a  pound  of 
sugar,  or  a  quart  of  molasses  while  you  work  and  toil  like  a 
Turk." 

"Well,  I  never  knew  that  Turks  work  so  very  hard. 
Don't  fret,  Gottlieb.  You  will  soon  have  your  hands  so  full 
that  you  will  not  know  which  way  to  turn  first." 

"That's  what  I  want.  Where  are  you  going  to  work  this 
afternoon.-' " 

"  In  the  ward  over  here.  I  am  anxious  to  begin  with  the 
drainage  of  the  swamp,  and  think  that  I  can  find  efficient 
workmen  among  your  countrymen  there." 

"No  doubt  you  can.  I  have  sounded  a  good  many  and 
know  you  can  get  all  you  want,  and  good  workers  too." 

"I  am  glad  to  hear  it.  I  think  I  had  better  visit  the  hotels 
and  boarding  houses,  eh  ?" 

"That's  the  places.  By  the  bye,  we  had  a  call  last  night 
from  a  fellow  who  has  studied  engineering  or  bridge  building  or 
something  like  it,  in  the  old  country.  Perhaps  he  would  be 
the  man  to  boss  the  job." 

"Do  you  know  where  he  lives,  and  what  his  name  is?  " 

"Yes,  he  gave  me  his  address.  Here  it  is:  Daniel 
Wurzel,  Hotel  Rinehart." 

"Ah,  I  know,  where  that  is.  Well,  no  rest  for  the  wicked 
you  know.     I  must  be  moving." 

And  off  he  went,  turning  his  steps  to  the  narrow  and 
poorly  paved  streets  of  a  quarter  inhabited  by  the  poor  and 
consequently  neglected  inhabitants  of  the  city.  We  have  no 
time  to  follow  him  in  his  wanderings.  He  called  at  many  an 
humble  household,  made  up  in  many  instances  of  Germans, 
Irish  or  other  foreign  elements.  Only  here  and  there  he  met 
a  native  family  marked  generally  by  superior  cleanliness  of 
the  members  as  well  as  the  premises.  Occasionally  he  met 
with  a  gruff  rebuff,  but  such  instances  were  rare,  originating 
universally  with  additional  drunkeness.  On  the  whole  the 
poor  are  kind  and   friendly  to  the  poor,  and  pay  readily  and 


EITHER,  OR.  153 

cheerfully  for  the  services  the}7  engage.  In  more  than  one  in- 
stance Richard  felt  enclined  to  refuse  the  nickle  or  dime  form- 
ing the  compensation  of  his  labor ;  but  the  fear  of  offending 
and  the  necessity  of  sustaining  his  character,  checked  the  in- 
clination. His  knowledge  of  German  proved  very  serviceable 
in  that  quarter.  In  fact,  it  may  be  truthfully  asserted  that 
without  this  knowledge  his  mission  would  have  proved  a  fail- 
ure. During  his  wanderings  he  came  upon  a  big  swinging 
sign,  informing  the  public  that  this  was  Rinehart's  hotel,  a 
hostlery  where  man  and  beast  could  find  the  best  of  accomo- 
dations at  very  reasonable  rates.  Richard  stepped  into  the 
bar-room,  deposited  his  burden  and  demanded  a  glass  of  beer. 
The  landlord  brought  it  in  person,  and  when  the  tinker  ad- 
dressed him  in  his  native  tongue  he  showed  much  friendliness 
and  a  disposition  to  converse. 

"You  talk  German  elegantly"  he  remarked  when  Richard 
had  told  him  that  he  was  a  native  of  Occidentia." 

"Have  you  been  in  the  old  country?" 

"Yes,  about  six  months  and  I  saw  many  things  there 
which  pleased  me.      The  trouble  is  wages  are  too  low  there." 

"Ah,  it  isn't  that  so  much  as  the  military  services.  Liv- 
ing is  cheap  in  Germany,  but  when  a  fellow  is  taken  from  his 
work,  put  into  uniform  and  drilled  and  cajoled  half  to  death 
for  three  or  four  years,  we  need  not  wonder  to  see  him  leave 
his  fatherland." 

"Are  many  immigrating  just  now?" 

"More  than  can  find  work,  sir.  The  house  is  full  of  fel- 
lows who  cannot  find  work  and  hardly  have  the  means  of  pay- 
ing for  their  board.  The  fact  is,  I  ought  to  turn  half  of  them 
out ;  only  it  goes  against  a  fellow's  grit,  you  see." 

Richard  felt  like  grabbing  and  shaking  the  honest  fellow's 
ihand.  He  called  for  another  glass  of  beer  and  said  :  "Well  I 
have  a  friend  who  could  give  a  number  of  them  employment 
— and — " 

"He  could  ?  the  landlord  inquired  eagerly,"  then  you  can 
do  all  these  poor  fellows  a  good  turn  by  recommending  them 
to  your  friend.      Will  you  do  it  ?  " 


..S4  KITHKR.OR. 

"Certainly  and  with  pleasure.  How  many  can  you  mus- 
ter ?  " 

"Oh,  as  many  as  your  friend  is  likely  to  need." 

"Fifty?" 

"Yes  a  hundred.      When  will  you  know?" 

"  I'll  try  to  see  him  to-night  ;  but  say  is  there  not  an 
engineer  by  the  name  of  Wurzel  in  your  hotel?  " 

"Yes,.  Daniel  Wurzel.  What  of  him  ?  Would  your  friend 
want  a  chap  of  his  caliber?" 

"He  will  want  an  engineer,  but  whether  this  Wurzel 
would  fill  the  bill,  is  another  question  " 

"Well,  it  won't  take  long  to  find  out.  I  think  he  is  in  his 
room.     Excuse  me  a  minute,  I'll  go  and  see." 

He  returned  in  less  than  ten  minutes  accompanied  by 
a  young  man  of  hardly  twenty.  Richard  felt  inclined  to  doubt 
his  ability  to  superintend  a  job  of  such  magnitude  when  his 
own  case  rose  in  his  mind,  causing  him  to  smile  at  his  hasty 
conclusion  and  to  resolve  that  he  would  not  condemn  before 
judging.  The  landlord  introduced  his  protege,  placed  a  glass 
of  beer  before  both  him  and  Richard,  saying:  "This  is  my 
treat,  gentlemen,  now  fire  away  at  each  other." 

Richard  obeyed,  asking  the  other  what  particular  branch 
of  engineering  he  had  studied.  When  Mr.  Wurzel  replied 
that  he  had  made  road  building  a  specialty  Richard  asked  him 
whether  he  had  had  any  practical  experience  in  draining 
swamps  and  rectifying  river  beds.  Wurzel  replied  that  he  had 
not,  but  that  such  things  had  formed  parts  of  his  course  and 
that  he  flattered  himself  with  the  belief  of  being  able  to  give 
satisfaction.  Our  friend  reflected  a  moment,  then  said:  "Mr. 
Wurzel,  the  party  for  whom  I  speak  is  not  at  leisure  just  now 
but  if  you  have  time  to  go  with  me  to-morrow  morning  to  the 
swamp  in  question,  I  can  report  to  him  what  you  think  of  the 
matter,  and  confer  with  his  authorized  agent." 

Mr.  Wurzel  looked  at  him  in  surprise.  He  was  evi- 
dently astonished  to  meet  with  a  scissor  grinder  using  such 
choice  language   and  grammar.       Perhaps  it  increased  his  ad- 


EITHER,  OR.  155 

miration  for  a  country  where  even  tinkers  indulge  in  such 
luxuries.  However,  he  declared  his  readiness  to  accompany 
the  tinker,  and  agreed  to  meet  him  at  Gottlieb's  grocery  at 
eight  a.  m.  precisely.  Then  Richard  went  on  his  way, 
making  more  acquaintances,  seeing  deeper  into  the 
condition,  wishes,  hopes  and  aspirations  of  the  people 
every  minute,  thus  making  studies  in  a  book  to  him 
inexpressibl}-  interesting  and  becoming  more  so  with  every 
new  page.  After  supper  he  requested  Gottlieb  to  accompany 
him,  and  together  they  wended  their  way  through  the  scenes 
of  his  afternoon's  experience.  This  time  he  left  his  tools  and 
implements  at  home,  visiting  merely  the  places  of  recreation 
where  the  poor  try  to  forget  the  toil  of  to-day  and  the  care  ot 
to-morrow.  As  he  gazed  upon  them,  he  began  to  understand 
why  so  many  of  them  yield  to  the  charm  of  strong  drink. 
With  the  laborer  it  is  nothing  but  work,  work,  work, 
hard  during  the  day,  and  sleep  the  slumber  of  exhaustion  dur- 
ing the  night,  and  unless  there  is  an  interval  of  excitement, 
an  hour  snatched  from  the  hum  drum  of  life  in  the  evening, 
that  is  the  interregnum  between  the  despot  of  toil  and  the 
despot  of  lethargetic  slumber,  he  misses  the  only  charm  of 
life,  in  fact,  the  inducement  to  live.  He  knows  not  the  stim- 
ultus  of  intellectual  pursuits,  and  would  be  too  exhausted  to 
enjoy  them  if  he  knew  them.  So  he  yields  to  the  charms  of 
King  Alcohol,  and  drains  the  cup,  which,  for  a  while  brings 
oblivion,  but  in  whose  dregs  death  is  lurking.  In  the  tavern 
frequented  by  the  Irish,  the  offerings  were  mostly  made  at  the 
shrine  of  whisky,  while  the  Germans  worshipped  almost  ex- 
clusively at  that  of  Gambriuus,  but,  while  Richard  perceived 
that  their  potations  were  less  besotting,  and  the  results  less 
brutalizing,  he  could  not  help  perceiving  that  the  excesses  of 
both  parties  tend  the  same  way,  i.  e.,  demoralization  and  the 
ruin  of  health.  He  pondered  deeply  on  these  manifestations, 
seeing  clearly  that  he  would  have  to  grapple  with  them  in  his 
struggles  for  the  elevation  of  his  race.  He  was  no  temper- 
ance fanatic,  and  saw  plainly  that  it  is  not  prohibition  but  self- 
government  [which  was   needed.     Would  the  time  ever  come 


i56  EITHER,  OR. 

when  man  would  do  away  with  stimulants  of  every  kind? 
Perhaps ;  but  meanwhile,  people  must  learn  to  control  a  pas- 
sion which  degrades  and  ruins,  not  only  individually,  but  col- 
lectively; andif  they  were  too  weak,  if  past  suffering  sand 
hardships  had  unmanned  them,  he  was  convinced  of  the 
propriety  of  restricting  it,  and  limiting  its  gratification  to  a 
compass  which,  if  not  totally  harmless,  would  at  least  prevent 
a  sudden  destruction  of  the  devotee  and  his  family,  giving 
him  time  for  a  continued  fight  against  his  tyrant.  Gottlieb 
introduced  him  to  several  hostlers,  who  made  it  a  business  to 
lodge  and  feed  emigrants,  and  to  help  them  in  procuring  em- 
ployment. Some  of  these  fellows  were  undoubtedly  of  the 
Shylock  class,  sucking  the  life  blood  of  their  patrons  to  kick 
them  into  the  street  when  the  last  cent  was  spent,  bnt  many 
were  real  and  true  philanthropists,  exhibiting  a  disinterested- 
ness which  warmed  Richard's  heart,  and  convinced  him  of  a 
fact  which  he  had  dimly  felt  before,  that  the  poor,  as  a  class, 
are  much  more  generous  than  the  wealthy,  and  that  neither 
church  nor  caste  has  monopolized  virtue.  Mr.  Rinehart's 
face  brightened  when  he  saw  Richard  and  his  famulus  enter 
the  guest  room.  He  insisted  upon  treating  them  to  a  glass  of 
beer,  and  took  such  umbrage  at  Richard's  declination  of  this 
civility,  that  our  friend  quickly  retracted  his  remonstrance, 
remembering,  that  this  man's  means  of  showing  his  good  will 
was  limited  to  a  very  narrow  compass,  and  that,  to  hurt  his 
feelings,  was  just  as  wrong  as  to  wound  those  of  a  moralist  or 
a  duchess.  The  inn  keeper  told  him  that  he  had  fully  a  hun- 
dred men  ready  for  him,  a  declaration  forcing  from  Richard 
the  statement  that  his  patron  would  undoubtedly  employ  them 
if  Mr.  Wurzel  would  report  favorably  the  next  morning. 
When  he  finally  said  farewell,  he  had  gained  the  esteem  of 
the  crowd.  "How  easy  it  is,  Gottlieb."  he  said  to  his  compan- 
ion, "to  gain  the  good  will  of  the  masses.  Is  it  not  very 
strange  that  there  are  so  few  philanthropists  among  the 
rich?  A  few  of  them  strive  to  benefit  the  people,  it  is  true; 
but  nine  times  out  of  ten  the  aggrandizement  or  gratification 
of  self  lies  at  the  bottom  of  the  movement,  and  the  noise  with 


EITHER.  OR.  157 

which  it  is  proclaimed    to    the    world,    is    universally  greater 
than  the  benefit  itself." 

Richard  did  not  confine  his  explorations  to  the  German 
element  this  evening.  As  stated  before  he  visited  several 
Irish  hostelries,  where  he  met  with,  and  enjoyed  the  healthy 
humor  distinguishing  the  sons  and  daughters  of  the  Emerald 
Isle.  To  him  these  men  and  women  appeared  like  big  child- 
ren, exhibiting  their  ingenuity,  but  also  uuconcernedness. 
Here  also,  he  found  many  strong  and  willing  arms,  but  lack- 
ing the  means  of  gaining  a  livelihood.  He  formed  the  resolu- 
tion of  helping  them  also  to  the  extent  of  his  ability,  quelling 
with  difficulty  a  sigh  engendered  by  the  consciousness  of  his 
feeble  strength  and  narrowness  of  his  means.  Never  before 
had  he  been  so  deeply  impressed  with  the  necessity  of  a  social 
reform  and  the  removal  of  conditions  which  permit  a  few  to 
roll  in  ease  and  luxury  and  deprive  vast  multitudes  from  get- 
ting that  work  which  will  ensure  not  luxury  and  pleasure,  but 
the  barest  necessities.  At  nine  he  stole  through  the  passage 
and  entered  the  office  of  Uncle  Calculus,  where  he  found  his 
aunt  in  waiting.  She  looked  at  him  keenly,  expecting  to  dis- 
cover some  mark  of  disappointment  or  fatigue.  He  understood 
her  glance,  and  said  gayly:  "Sorry  to  dissapoint  you,  aunty,  I 
ain't  quite  tired  and  disgusted  yet." 

"But  Dick,  did  you  not  meet  with  many  things  which 
disgusted  you?     Now  tell  me  truly." 

"Yes,  I  did,  Aunt  Laura,  but  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  they 
originated  with  the  so-called  upper  classes,  not  with  my 
clients,  the  poor.  Oh,  Aunt  Laura,  never  before  was  I  so 
deeply  impressed  with  the  necessity  of  this  work,  and  mind, 
this  is  only  the  first  day.  How  much  will  the  coming  weeks 
and  months  intensify  this  conviction.  Indeed,  there  is  only 
one  thing  I  am  afraid  of,  namely:  that  the  sight  of  the  suffer- 
ings of  the  poor  and  the  heartless  cruelty  of  the  rich  will  aggra- 
vate me  that  I  shall  forget  the  counsel  of  prudence  and  dis- 
cretion and  stir  the  people  up  to  a  warfare  of  the  knife,  and 
to  the  bitter  end." 

"You  alarm  me,  Dick." 


1 58  EITHER,  OR. 

"Well,  when  thus  tempted  I  shall  come  to  you  and  listen 
to  the  promptings  of  a  heart  true  and  pure.  But  see  here, 
Aunt  Laura,  I  am  going  to  take  a  young  engineer  to  our  tract 
to-morrow  morning.  If  he  brings  you  a  slip  containing  the 
letters  O.  K.,  tell  him  that  Mr.  Velder  has  left  matters  with 
you,  and  that  you  will  let  him  know  what  shall  be  done  in 
the  matter." 

"All  right,  Richard.  Would  it  be  well  if  I  made  you, 
that  is  the  tinker,  a  kind  of  foreman  in  the  matter. " 

"No.  aunty,  that  would  not  work.  You  see,  foremen  are 
not  generally  chosen  from  scissor  grinders." 

"That's  a  pity,  Dick." 

"Well,  so  it  is  ;  but  I  think  we  can  manage  in  this  way. 
You  had  better  go  with  us  to-morrow  morning.  In  that  way 
you  can  take  in  the  situation  and  afterwards  interpret  more 
readily  my  wishes  and  directions.  I  can  not  do  much  until  I 
get  my  circulars  and  may  as  well  engage  to  work  out  there  with 
the  other  chaps." 

"Well,  that  is  a  good  idea.  Why,  you  are  not  going 
Dick?" 

"Yes  I  am,  aunty.  Mind,  I  have  been  on  my  feet  all  day 
and  must  retire  in  season,  if  I  expect  to  be  on  hand  tomorrow 
morning.  Mind,  eight  o'clock  precisely.  If  we  start  later 
we  shall  miss  the  nine  o'clock  train." 

Just  as  the  big  clock  of  the  distant  City  Hall  struck  ten 
on  the  following  morning  three  persons  ascended  the  knoll 
of  Richard's  purchase,  and  on  reaching  the  top  looked 
curiously  around.  It  was  Mrs.  Kean,  Richard  and  Herr 
Wurzel.  Richard  pointed  out  to  the  letter  the  extent  of  his 
purchase  and  then  awaited  his  decision  without  asking  a  ques- 
tion. 

"And  this  knoll  belongs  to  the  tract?  "  the  engineer  in- 
quired. 

"Yes,  sir.  If  I  am  rightly  informed  it  extends  several 
hundred  feet  beyond  its  base." 

"Then  the  matter  is  easy  enough.  The  knoll  will  have 
to  be  cut  and  the  bed  of  the  creek  rectified  to  its  mouth." 


EITHER,  OR.  159 

"I  understand  that  is  Mr.  Velder's  view  of  the  matter.  Is 
it  not,  Mrs.  Kean  ?  " 

"It  is.  He  has  discussed  the  matter  more  than  once  in 
my  presence.  Then  you  would  begin  with  the  cut,  Mr. 
Wurzel." 

"Yes  madam,  but  would  only  cut  it  sufficiently  deep 
to  secure  enough  soil  to  form  the  dams  we  shall  need.  It 
will  be  necessary  to  turn  the  water  from  the  old  bed.  to 
deepen  and  straighten  it." 

"Ah,  I  see,  and  when  the  new  bed  is  made  you'll  cut 
through  here  and  turn  the  water  into  it  ?  " 

"Exactly.  We  shall  then  use  the  rest  of  the  earth  to 
place  a  dam  across  the  old  channel  and  stop  the  flow  of  water 
entirely  in  that  direction." 

The  tinker  nodded  his  head  approvingly,  causing  Mrs. 
Kean  to  say:  "Well,  Mr.  Wurzel,  I  feel  confident  that  Mr. 
Velder  will  be  fully  satisfied  with  your  idea,  when  he  returns, 
and  as  he  is  very  anxious  to  have  this  matter  pushed,  you  will 
oblige  me  by  making  a  superficial  estimate  of  the  cost  to-day, 
and  calling  with  it  to-morrow  morning.  Have  you  an  idea  howr 
many  hands  you  shall  need  to  complete  this  work  during  the 
summer  and  fall? " 

"That  is  pretty  hard  to  say.  However  a  hundred  able 
laborers  can  accomplish   a  good  deal  in  three  or  four  months." 

"Well,  Mr.  Brown — Mr.  Brown  is  a  neighbor,  you  know  a 
good  many  people  in  the  ward  back  of  our  house.  If  I  pay 
you  for  your  time,  would  you  be  kind  enough  to  charge  your- 
self with  picking  out  such  men  as  you  think  calculated  to  do 
good  work  ?  " 

"I  am  at  your  service,  ma'm,  and  if  vou  and  Mr.  Wurzel 
will  let  me,  I  have  a  notion  to  pitch  in  myself." 

"Why,  that  woiddho.  nice.  Well,  I  suppose  there  is  noth- 
ing more  for  us  to  do  here,  so  we  may  as  w7ell  return  to  the 
station.  I  see  it  is  just  twenty  minutes  until  the  next  train, 
and  if  we  bestir  ourselves,  we  can  make  it,  I  think." 

On  the  train  Mr.  Wurzel  inquired:  "Have  you  formed 
an}-  plan  for  housing  and   boarding  the  working  force,  Mrs. 


160  EITHER,  OR. 

Keau  ?  You  see  there  are  no  accommodations  of  that  sort  in 
the  neighborhood ;  so  we  will  probably  have  to  put  up  a  few 
shanties,  and  let  some  families  see  to  the  boarding." 

"That  is  a  good  idea.  I  am  unused  to  such  matters,  and 
if  you  and  Mr.  Brown  will  be  kind  enough  to  make  the  need- 
ful arrangements,  I'll  compensate  you  for  your  time  and 
trouble." 

We  need  not  relate  in  detail   the  arrangements  made,  nor 
the  beginning  or  completion  of  the  work.   Mr.  Wurzel  proved 
himself  a  highly  efficient  engineer,  in  spite  of  his  youth,  and 
managed  the  work  with  such  skill  and  dispatch,  that  the  Fall 
was  not  fully  spent  when  the  water  was  turned  into  the  new 
channel,    and  the    reclaimed    land    ready  for   drainage.     The 
stagnant  water  was  first   gathered    in  ditches  running    from 
both  sides,  either  close  to,  or  entirely  into  the  new  bed.     In 
the  latter  case,  the  land  drained  itself ;  in  the  former  an  en- 
gine on  wheels  was  engaged  to  pump  the  water  out,  and  when 
the  winter  was  over,  the  land  was  perfectly  dry  and  ready  for 
building  purposes.     We  may  as  well  add  at  this  place  that 
Richard  divided  the  land  in  lots,  not  to  sell,  but  on  which  to 
erect  small  cottages,  which  he  rented  at  very  low  rates  to  peo- 
ple whom  he  found   worthy,  making,  however,  a  few  stipula- 
tions which  the  occupants  had  to  sign,  to  be  admitted  to  the 
premises.     No    one  was   permitted  to  sell  whiskey  or    other 
ardent  beverages  of  a  similar  character.    There  was  one  place, 
however,  where  the  people  of  the  village  could  secure  beer  in 
small  quantities,  the   landlord  agreeing  to  forfeit  his  lease  in 
case  he   violated  the   spirit  of  this  condition.       Mr.  Rinehart 
declared  his  willingness  to  rent  the  tavern,  and  as  Richard  had 
found  him  to   be  an  honest,  fair,  and    intelligent  person,    he 
granted  his  request.     Before  we  return  to  the  next  movement 
of  this  worthy,  we  may  as  well  state  that  Mr.  Wurzel  was  not 
dismissed  at  the  completion  of  the  drainage,  but  retained  at  a 
regular   salary  to  superintend  the  development   and  manage- 
ment of  the  other    bodies  of  land,  which,  as  we  have  stated, 
his  patron  had   bought  shortly  after  his  return  from  Europe. 
Some  of  these  were  near  the  city,  suitable  for  fruit   and  veg- 


EITHER,  OR.  161 

etable  farms ;  others  were  in  distant  parts  of  the  State,  and 
some  hundreds  of  miles  away,  in  climes  so  different  as  to  pro- 
duce fruit  and  cereals  of  quite  a  different  nature.  To  these 
places  Richard  sent  his  proteges,  suiting  their  mission  always 
to  their  liking  and  disposition,  thus  insuring  success  in  nine 
cases  out  of  ten.  These  operations  consumed  very  nearly  the 
money  he  had  secured  in  Europe  and  from  the  sale  of  his 
phonograph  ;  but  as  the  million  due  annually  from  the  lease  of 
the  telephone  was  in  reserve,  he  did  not  experience  serious 
embarrassment  from  the  lack  of  funds.  And  now  let  us  once 
more  attach  ourselves  closely  to  his  heels  and  learn  the  ad- 
ditional means  by  which  he  expects  to  execute  plans,  both 
gigantic  and  difficult. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


"  AND     SOME    OF    IT     FELL    ON     GOOD      SOIL,     AND     BORE     AN 
HUNDRED    FOLD." 

When  the  tinker  called  at  the  printing  house  on  the 
evening  designated,  the  entire  edition  of  his  pamphlet  was 
read}-. 

"We  had  to  box  them,"  the  clerk  said,  pointing  to  a  good 
sized  box  standing  in  the  hall.  "The  box  and  the  packing  is 
one  dollar  extra." 

The  tinker  paid  the  bill,  engaged  an  expressman  and  had 
his  treasure  hauled  to  his  room  in  the  grocery.  "Use  them 
judiciously,"  he  said  to  Gottlieb,  pointing  to  the  papers.  "If 
they  are  not  eloquent,  they  at  least  contain  the  truth,  which 
is  bound  to  prevail,  sooner  or  later.  On  Sunday  morning  he 
stuffed  his  pockets  as  full  as  he  could,  and  started  on  his  errend. 
This  time,  of  course  without  his  tools  and  apparatus.  Nor 
did  he  go  into  the  houses,  but  went  his  way  to  the  neighbor- 
ing park,  which  was  full  of  loiterers,  seeking  fresh  air,  and 
trees  and  grass  and  flowers,  which  many  of  them  did  not  once 
see  and  admire  during  the  busy  week.     Richard  sat  down  on 


r62  HITHER,  OR. 

a  bench,  which  was  occupied  by  an  elderly  gentlemen  of  strik- 
ing appearance.  He  wore  an  overcoat,  in  spite  of  the  warm 
weather,  and  had  it  buttoned  to  his  neck.  His  gray  locks 
were  covered  by  a  broad-rimmed  felt  hat  of  much  wear  and 
ancient  cut.  His  shoes  had  buckles  of  huge  size  and  so  out- 
landish a  shape  as  to  betray  at  once  the  foreigner.  He  wore 
large  glasses,  but  when  he  wanted  to  see  anything  at  a  dis- 
tance he  regularly  looked  over  them,  showing  on  such 
occasion  eyes  both  intelligent  and  benevolent.  When  Richard 
sat  down  beside  him,  he  nodded  pleasantly  and  said: 
"Fine  weather,  this." 

"Fine  enough,  only  a  little  warm." 

"Do  you  think  so?  Well,  I  am  getting  old,  you  see,  and 
my  blood  must  be  getting]  sluggish,  for  I  feel  very  com- 
fortable with  my  overcoat  on." 

The  man  had  a  very  strong  foreign  accent,  which  we  do 
not  render,  because  it  gives  an  air  of  ludicrous  to  persons  by- 
no  means  funny,  or  two  things  and  thoughts  far  from  trite. 
When  Richard  did  not  reply  the  old  gentleman  continued : 
"In  my  country,  you  see,  the  weather  is  mostly  so  cold  that 
one  enjoys  the  sunshine  doubly." 

"You  hail  from  the  north,  then?" 

"From  the  north  of  Sweden.  I  have  come  to  this 
country  to  find  a  little  girl,  a  niece,  whose  mother,  my  sister, 
died  a  few  month's  since,  leaving  Bertha  without  protection, 
you  see." 

"And  have  you  found  her?" 

"Not  yet.  I  begin  to  think  the  address  is  a  little  indefi- 
nite.    Here  it  is." 

He  pulled  a  little  note  book  from  his  pocket,  opened  it, 
and  let  Richard  read  in  large  round,  but  rather  stiff  characters: 
Mrs.  Edda  Rasmussen,  Plutonia.  "You  see,  that  was  my 
sister's  name,"  he  said  in  explanation. 

Richard  was  astonished  at  this  simplicity.  "Why,"  he 
asked  wonderiugly,  "you  surely  did  not  expect  to  find  your 
niece  in  a  country  of  seven  millions  with  this  clue  alone?" 

"It  seems   rather   hard,"   the    stranger    replied    with    a. 


EITHER.  OR.  163 

dubious  smile.     "At  all  events,  I  have   failed  thus  far  to  dis- 
cover any  trace  of  her." 

"But  don't  you  know  whether  she  lives  in  this  city?" 

"I  do  not,  although  I  am  inclined  to  doubt  it,  for  in  my 
sister's  last  letter  she  speaks  of  a  little  country  town  as  her 
place  of  residence.  This  is  rather  big  for  a  country  town,  is 
it  not?  " 

"I  should  think  so.  But  have  you  not  this  letter  to  guide 
you?  " 

"That  is  the  trouble.  I  lost  it,  together  with  the  one 
from  Bertha,  in  which  she  informes  me  of  her  mother's  death. 
I  had  no  idea  that  this  country  is  so  large.  Else  I  would 
have  waited  for  another  letter  from  my  niece." 

"It  strikes  me  that  would  be  the  proper  thing.  It  seems 
they  do  not  study  geography  much  in  your  country." 

"Oh  yes,  but  more  in  the  abstract,  you  see,  in  fact,  I  know 
more  of  the  moon  and  the  stars  than  of  this  continent.  But  I 
must  leave  you.  I  make  it  a  point  to  inquire  of  everybody  I 
meet.  In  that  way  I  may  sooner  or  later  receive  information 
leading  to  Bertha's  discovery.  Good  bye."  Richard  felt 
strongly  tempted  to  retain  the  man  and  volunteer  his  assis- 
tance, if  not  in  his  search,  at  least  in  posting  him  a  little  on 
the  character  of  the  country  ;  but  the  stranger's  appearance 
was  so  dignified  in  spite  of  his  simplicity  that  he  felt  reluct- 
ant to  patronize  him.  So  he  let  him  go,  and  soon  forgot  him 
in  the  pursuit  of  his  own  plans  and  aspirations.  The  park 
was  unusually  empty  that  morning,  so  Richard  strolled  along 
its  shady  avenues  until  the  splashing  ol  the  water  of  a  foun- 
tain attracted  his  attention.  It  was  hid  from  view  by  a  dense 
undergrowth  of  bushes,  but  Richard  could  see  the  water  of  a 
little  basin  glimmer  through  the  leaves,  and  pushed  the  bushes 
aside  to  gain  a  more  perfect  view  of  it.  He  had  nearly 
reached  the  inner  edge  of  the  leafy  fringes  when  he  perceived 
the  form  of  a  man  gazing  with  deep  absorption  into  the  water. 
His  back  was  turned  to  Richard,  and  so  engrossed  did  he  ap- 
pear by  his  thoughts  that  he  failed  to  notice  the  approach  of 
our  friend.      He  held  a  revolver  in  his  right  hand,  a  circum- 


164  EITHER,  OR. 

stance  which  aroused  Richard's  suspicion,  for  the  man  did  not 
look  like  one  bent  upon  sport,  to  say  nothing  of  the  fact  that 
shooting  was  strictly  forbidden  in  the  park.  He  therefore 
quickened  his  steps,  using  at  the  same  time  greater  precau- 
tion, to  avoid  all  noise.  He  had  no  desire  to  create  a  scene, 
and  if  the  man  contemplated  only  some  sport  or  other,  Rich- 
ard had  no  desire  to  make  a  fool  of  himself.  It  would  be  well, 
however,  to  be  sufficiently  near  to  check  his  hand  if  he  con- 
templated self  destruction.  He  advanced  until  he  was  only 
one  step  from  the  other,  but  just  then  the  hand  holding  the 
revolver  was  quickly  raised,  and  would  probably  have  sent  a 
bullet  through  the  head  of  the  would-be  suicide,  if  Richard 
had  not  grasped  it,  and  checked  its  movement  with  all  the 
strength  at  his  command.  The  other  started  violently,  and 
when,  on  turning,  he  discovered  the  nature  of  the  impeding 
force,  an  angry  red  mounted  into  his  face  and  cheeks.  He 
tried  to  wrench  himself  free  from  Richard's  grasp  and  when 
he  failed  became  so  angry  that  he  clinched  his  left  hand  and 
raised  it  as  if  to  strike  the  intruder.  Richard  found  no  diffi- 
culty in  warding  off  the  blow,  and  said  before  it  could  be  re- 
peated :  "Don't  sir,  it  is  of  no  use.  If  you  want  to  destroy 
yourself,  you  must  postpone  the  matter  until  I  am  out  of  the 
way." 

"Who  are  you,  and  what  right  have  you  to  interfere  with 
me?" 

"Two  questions  at  once,"  Richard  replied,  smiling  pleas- 
antly. "As  to  the  first,  I  am  }^our  brother,  and  it  is  upon  this 
relationship  that  I  base  my  claim  of  interference." 

The  other  breathed  violently,  then  hissed  through  his 
teeth  :  "Brother,  I  have  no  brother,  want  no  brother;  so  with- 
draw and  let  me  finish  a  work  which  will  be  done  as  soon  as 
you  stop  your  meddling." 

"Well,  in  that  case  a  few  minutes  ought  not  matter  much 
to  you.  Come  now,  won't  you  sit  down  here  and  tell  me  what 
desperate  straight  forced  you  into  such  a  foolish  escapade? 
Perhaps  I  can  counsel,  and  what  is  better,  aid  you." 


EITHER,  OR.  165 

"I  do  not  want  your  counsel,  and  as  for  aid,  I  am  past 
aid?" 

"You  are  excited  man,  and  look  at  things  in  altogether 
too  gloomy  a  light.  Do  you  need  money?  I  am  prepared  to 
furnish  it  to  a  limited  extent.  Are  you  in  need  of  sympathy? 
I  am  ready  to  offer  it  in  unlimited  quantities."  He  spoke  so 
frankly,  so  kindly  and  at  the  same  time  so  cheerfully,  that 
the  other  could  not  resist  the  charm. 

His  clinched  hand  relapsed  and  he  stammered  somewhat 
confusedly  :  "You  are  a  queer  one,  you  are." 

"I'll  be  anything  to  accommodate  you.  Now  be  a  good 
fellow,  and  tell  me  what  ails  }"ou.  You  said  correctly  that 
I  cannot  hinder  your  self  destruction  if  you  persevere  in  your 
desire  to  die.  So  you  ought  to  give  me  a  chance  to  try  my 
panacea.  So  that  is  a  good  fellow.  Lend  me  that  pop-gun  of 
yours  for  a  little  while  and  tell  me  all  that  troubles  you." 

He  took  the  revolver  from  a  willing  hand,  sat  down  on 
the  turf,  and  said,  drawing  the  other  to  his  side:  "So  now 
I  am  ready ;  imagine  I  am  your  father  confessor,  who  is  but 
too  willing  to  absolve  you." 

By  this  time  a  complete  reaction  had  set  in  with  the 
other.  Great  tears  sprang  into  his  eyes  and  ran  copiously 
over  his  cheeks,  while  convulsive  sobs  raised  and  shook  his 
bieast.  Richard  remained  silent,  but  continued  to  hold  the 
sufferer's  hand  and  to  give  it  an  occasional  pressure.  After  a 
few  minutes,  the  man  collected  himself,  and  said,  returning 
the  pressure:  "You  see,  I  am  not  used  to  kindness,  so  it  kind 
of  crushed  me.  But  now  tell  me  who  are  you,  and  what 
causes  you  take  such  a  strange  interest  in  a  fellow  you  never 
saw  before?" 

"Did  I  not  tell  you  I  am  your  brother?  And  is  not  that 
a  sufficient  explanation  and  reason?  " 

"Well,  I  reckon  it  is,  or  least  ways  ought  to  be,  but  it  is 
rather  queer  that  I  never  met  such  a  brother  in  the  world,  un- 
til I  was  just  ready  to  leave  it." 

"Maybe  you  were  blind,  my  friend?" 

"I  don't  think  I  was,"  replied  the  other  bitterly.  "I  have 


166  EITHER,  OR. 

met  with  more  cuffs  than    kisses,    only    because  I  tried  to  aid 
my  brothers." 

Richard  started.  "Because  you  aided  your  brothers?  In 
that  case  you  must  have  had  brothers." 

"Well,  I  tried  to  treat  them  as  such,  but  little  thanks  did 
I  get  for  my  trouble." 

The  recollection  of  his  wrongs  once  more  darkened  his 
brow,  and  Richard  seeing  this  and  thinking  that  a  recital  of 
his  trials  would  relieve  him,  said  cheerfully: 

"Tell  me  all  about  it,  sir." 

The  other  thought  a  moment,  then  said  :  "All  right.  If 
it  don't  do  any  good,  it  surely  can  do  no  harm,  and  will  relieve 
my  heart.  So  here  she  goes:  "My  name  is  Duncan,  Charles 
Duncan.  I  am  just  thirty  years  of  age  and  a  machinist  by 
trade.  I  might  have  said  a  good  machinist,  and  not  stretched 
it  either.  I  had  finished  learning  when  I  was  twenty,  and 
brighter  prospects  than  mine  the  world  hardly  ever  saw. 
When  I  was  twenty-three  I  married  the  girl  I  loved,  and  you 
might  travel  far  and  near  sir,  and  not  find  a  better,  prettier 
and  kinder  woman." 

"Is  she  living?"  Richard  interrupted. 

"Why  yes.  Why  do  you  ask?  Oh,  I  understand  sir,  and 
blush  to  think  that  I  could  entertain  the  thought  of  leaving 
her." 

"You  surely  must  have  been  dreadfully  provoked." 

"I  was,  as  you  will  soon  see  for  yourself.  Well  I  worked 
in  the  shop  and  she  in  the  house,  and  a  happier  couple  you 
never  saw,  until  I  began  to  read  these  socialist  books  and 
magazines.  Then  things  bea:an  to  change.  I  learned  that 
the  capitalists  take  the  lion's  share,  leaving  the  workman  only  a 
pittance.  I  began  to  think,  and  thinking  brought  on  action. 
I  communicated  my  thoughts  to  others,  and  before  long  we 
began  to  organize,  to  combine,  and  resist  the  usurpations  of 
capital.  Sometimes  we  were  successful,  sometimes  we  lost, 
but  our  losses  somehow  swallowed  up  our  gains,  and  still  left 
big  deficits.  Being  ready  with  my  tongue  I  soon  took  a 
prominent  part  in  these   agitations^and   was  regularly  chose* 


EITHER,  OR.  167 

as  spokesman,  or  at  least  one  of  them,  when  we  wished  to 
present  our  grievances  or  make  our  demands  from  our 
employers.  This  made  me  prominent  in  the  eyes  of 
my  mates  but  dangerous  in  those  of  the  shop  owners, 
and  it  was  not  long  before  I  had  to  pay  dearly  for 
my  fame.  To  make  a  long  story  short,  I  became  adopted, 
and  my  character  as  an  agitator  was  signaled  from  town 
to  town,  from  shop  to  shop,  until  I  could  not  find  work, 
no  matter  where  I  would  apply.  Nor  was  it  the  machine 
shops  alone  where  I  met  with  deaf  ears,  but  somehow  my 
name  of  fame,  if  you  prefer  it,  had  spread  to  all  sorts  of  bosses 
and  manufacturers,  making  it  more  difficult  every  day  to  earn 
even  the  simplest  necessities  of  life.  My  wife  and  child  suf- 
fered accordingly, and  the  circumstance  that  my  good  wife  never 
by  word,  or  mien,  or  gesture  reproached  or  blamed  me  for  my 
short  comings,  made  the  burden  none  the  easier  to  bear,  you 
better  believe." 

"Your  wife  must  be  a  good  woman,  Duncan." 

"A  good  woman  ?  Better  say  an  angel  and  you  come 
nigher  the  truth." 

"And  yet  you  had  it  in  your  heart  to  leave  her.  Do  you 
think  your  death  would  have  made  matters  easier  for  her?  " 

Duncan  winced,  then  said  :  "I  thought  you  wanted  to 
comfort  not  scold  me." 

"So  I  will,  but  I  want  you  to  see  the  utter  folly  of  such  a 
step,  and  your  solemn  promise  not  to  repeat  the  cowardly  at- 
tempt." 

The  crest-fallen  man  put  his  hands  into  Richard's  extend- 
ed palm,  saying  solemnly  :     "I  promise  " 

"That's  right.  Now  let  me  say  a  few  words  regarding 
your  doings  :  Do  you  still  believe  that  capital  takes  the  lion's 
share  ? " 

"I  do." 

"Do  you  still  believe  that  this  present  social  system  has 
the  tendency  to  degrade  our  race,  and  will  ultimately  reduce 
it  to  the  level  of  the  brute?  " 

"I  do,  emphatically." 


1 68  EITHER.  OR. 

"Then  I  do  not  see  why  I  should  regret  your  actions  and 
endeavors  in  behalf  of  your  brethren." 

"But  see  the  sad  results  to  myself  and  my  family,  sir." 
"They  sprang  from  your  faulty  measures,  not  your  prin- 
ciples". And  now,  Charles  Duncan,  if  I  offered  you  a  chance 
to  resume  your  labors  in  behalf  of  your  race,  giving  you  a 
fair  assurance  that  neither  you  nor  those  dear  to  you  would 
suffer  in  consequence,  would  you  feel  inclined  to  resume  thent 
with  all  your  might,  strength  and  soul,  and  never  throw  down 
your  weapons  until  death  relieved  you?" 

We  record  Richard's  words,  but  what  we  can  not  render 
is  the  simple  grace  and  grandeur  of  his  gestures,  the  fire  of 
his  eyes,  the  magnetism  streaming  from  his  pores,  the  un- 
speakable confidence  in  the  correctness  of  the  principles  he 
advocated.  Charles  Duncan,  however,  saw  all  these  things. 
Is  it  a  wonder,  then,  that  they  effected  him  like  a  strong  vol- 
canic battery,  and  made  his  whole  body  shake  with  excite- 
ment? At  first  he  started  as  if  in  a  dream,  then  wonderment 
gave  way  to  enthusiasm,  and  when  Richard  ended,  he  gasped: 
"Who  are  you?  A  new  Messiah?  Never  before  have  I  heard 
any  one  speak  like  you." 

"I  am  no  Messiah,  my  good  fellow,  only  a  mortal,  weak 
and  frail  like  you,  but  animated  by  the  burning  desire  of  bet- 
tering my  fellows'  condition,  to  live  for  that  purpose  and,  if 
needs  be,  die  for  it." 

"And  you  assure  me  that  my  dear  ones  will  be  taken  care 
of?  Mind,  I  don't  say  of  me,  for  I  care  little,  provided  they 
will  suffer  no  want." 

"They  shall  not.     I  not  only  promise,  but   shall  convince 
you  of  my  ability  to  make  good  my  promises." 
"Then  I  am  yours  with  soul  and  body." 
"Nay,  not  mine,  Duncan,  but  thy  brethren's." 
"But  you  will  now  tell  me  who  you  are,  will  you  not?" 
"I    am    only    a    tinker,    scissors   grinder    and    umbrella 
mender;  but  this  profession  amply  supplies  my  wants.     I  shall 
teach  you  its  mysteries,  secure    you    an    outfit,  and  then  send 
you  among  the  people,  to  preach  the  new  gospel." 


EITHER,  OR.  169 

He  watched  Duncan's  face  closely,  to  see  the  effect  of 
these  words.     He  pondered  a  few  moments,  then  said: 

"That  is  a  good  way  of  reaching  the  masses;  but  say, 
"where  will  I  leave  my  wife  and  daughter?  " 

"I'll  take  care  of  them.  I  have  friends  who  will  be  glad 
to  administer  to  their  wants,  as  if  they  were  their  own  kin 
and  kith,  and  even  to  day  I  shall  introduce  you  to  these 
friends.     Where  is  your  family  ?  " 

"In  an  attic    of  the ward.     You   will   find  poverty 

printed  on  every  feature  of  the  miserable  abode." 

"Never  mind  poverty.  They  will  be  comfortable  before 
to-night.  And  now  let  us  go.  I  shall  give  you  an  outline  of 
my  plans  and  views  as  we  go." 

They  left  the  bushes,  Richard  feeling  instinctively  that 
he  had  made  a  great  haul  that  morning.  On  the  way  to  Dun- 
can's lodgings  Richard  sketched  to  him  his  intentions  and 
the  causes  which  had  led  to  them.  He  showed  him  the  papers 
begging  him  to  familiarize  himself  with  the  views  they  enter- 
tained, and  the  reforms  they  suggested.  "We  must  recruit 
followers  wherever  we  can,"  he  said,  "and  send  them  to  all 
the  cities  and  villages  of  the  land  to  preach  the  new  gospel. 
It  is  there  you  missed  it,  Duncan.  You  attempted  to  reach 
before  the  crops  were  ripe.  Such  doings  are  like  the  tilt  of 
Don  Quixote  against  the  windmill.  Educate  the  masses  to 
the  work  in  store,  and  all  the  rest  is  easy.  Neglect  this 
feature  and  failure  is  sure  and  inevitable." 

"My  own  sad  experience  has  taught  me  that  you  are 
right ;  but,  oh  !  this  seems  such  slow  work,  and  the  goal  so 
far  away.  I  feel  sure,  that  many  generations  will  have  to  pass 
away,  before  the  crops  can  be  reaped." 

"I  trust  not,  Duncan;  indeed  I  am  convinced  that  the 
goal  is  not  very  far  off,  and  that  a  decade  of  efficient  work  will 
suffice  to  take  us  there." 

"You  really  think  so  ?  Oh,  you  inspire  me  with  new 
courage.  I  fear,  however,  that  good  apostles  will  be  rare,  and 
that  but  few  will  fancy  the  idea  of  tramping  through  the  land 
in  the  capacity  of  tinkers  or  scissors  grinders." 


170  EITHER.  OR. 

"In  that  case  they  are  hardly  fitted.  I  will  tell  you  in 
confidence  that  I  am  possessed  of  moderate  means  to  make  up 
any  deficit  which  may  arise;  but  beg  you  not  to  mention  this 
to  others.  We  want  laborers  in  the  vineyard  of  the  Brother- 
hood, but  no  mercenary  spirits  who  will  work  only  with  and 
for  the  expectation  of  filthy  lucre." 

"I  approve  of  your  prudence;  but  here  we  are.  Be  care- 
ful in  climbing  these  rickety  stairs." 

He  led  the  way  up  three  flights,  and  then  stopping  before 
a  door,  said:  "Stop  here  a  moment.  I'll  go  in  to  see  whether 
she  is  in  condition  to  receive  you." 

He  entered,  but  returned  in  a  few  seconds.  "Remember 
that  this  is  no  palace,"  he  whispered. 

Richard  nodded  assuringly,  and  entered  a  room  whose 
ceiling  was  hardly  seven  feet  from  the  floor.  There  was 
scarcely  any  furniture,  and  this  was  of  the  plainest  character. 
A  dilapidated  stove  stood  in  the  corner,  but  the  pallid  face  of 
the  woman  he  saw  and  her  little  daughter  as  well,  showed 
plainly  that  no  strengthening  food  of  any  kind  had  been  pre- 
pared on  it  lately  Duncan  seemed  to  have  prepared  his  wife 
in  a  measure,  for  the  change  in  store,  for  in  her  eyes  was  a 
gleam  of  hope,  and  a  smile  passed  over  her  face  as  she  greeted 
the  visitor.  Mrs.  Duncan  was  a  person  of  more  than  ordinary 
comeliness,  but  the  hardships  and  privations  of  the  last  years 
had  left  deep  traces  on  her  face.  The  little  girl  who  seemed 
about  five  years  old,  was  also  surprisingly  handsome,  and 
Richard's  heart  went  out  to  both  mother  and  child,  as  he 
greeted  them.  Mr.  Duncan,  himself,  seemed  deeply  moved, 
probably  by  the  recollection  of  the  attempt,  which  would  have 
made  a  reunion  impossible,  if  our  friend  had  not  so  timely  in- 
terfered. 

"Cheer  up  mamma,"  he  said,  with  an  attempt  at  gayety, 
"the  hard  times  are  over,  for  this  gentleman  has  promised  me 
employment,  which  will  make  and  keep  us  all  comfortable. 
He  wishes  to  take  you  and  Fay  to  friends,  so  get  things  ready 
for  removal." 

"A.nd  ain't  you  going  with  us,  Charley?" 


EITHER,  OR.  171 

"Of  course,  he  is,"  cried  Richard,  encouragingly.  "Who 
could  think  of  parting  such  a  loving  couple.  " 

Mrs.  Duncan  looked  at  him  to  detect  some  sign  of  badi- 
nage, but  read  an  unmistakable  expression  of  friendliness  and 
sympathy  in  his  eyes,  that  she  felt  reassured,  saying  with  a 
nod:  "Thank  you."  Then  turning  to  her  husband,  she  said 
almost  gayly:  "Well,  Charley,  it  won't  take  very  long  to  re- 
move our  goods.  In  fact  after  selling  the  stove  for  old  iron, 
you  might  make  a  bundle  of  the  rest,  and  carry  it." 

Duncan  laughed,  but  not  very  heartily,  at  which  we  need 
not  wonder,  as  it  is  rather  a  doubtful  amusement  to  laugh  at 
one's  own  poverty.  Richard  looked  at  his  watch,  saying : 
"Why,  it  is  nearly  eleven  o'clock.  How  time  flies  in  good 
company.  I  hope  you  will  all  do  us  the  honor  of  being  our 
guests  for  the  rest  of  the  day.  I  want  you  to  become  ac- 
quainted with  the  excellent  people  in  whose  midst  you  are 
going  to  live,  Mrs.  Duncan.  They  are  Germans  and  speak 
but  broken  English,  but  their  hearts  are  right,  and  its  lang- 
uage is  cosmopolitan,  you  know." 

"Germans?"  Mrs.  Duncan  inquired  ;  "why  that  will  be  no 
drawback,  as  my  parents  were  German  and  I  learned  that 
language  from  infancy." 

"Better  and  better.  Duncan,  do  you  know  the  grocery 
on  Lemon  street,  opposite  the  livery  stable?" 

"I  do.     Is  that  the  place  where  we  are  going?" 

"Exactly.  I  will  leave  you  now,  to  inform  Mrs.  Grad  of 
your  coming,  to  enable  her  to  make  the  little  additional  prep- 
arations which  your  arrival  will  occasion." 

"I  fear  we  shall  be  much  trouble." 

"I  assure  you  that  you  will  not.  Sophie  has  no  female 
acquaintances,  and  will  be  delighted  to  talk  German  to  you. 
Farewell.     Be  sure  to  be  in  season." 

After  he  had  left,  Mrs.  Duncan  went  up  to  her  husband, 
looked  him  straight  in  the  face  and  inquired :  "Charles,  what 
does  all  this  mean  ?     Where  did  you  meet  Mr.  Brown?" 

"Duncan's  face  twitched  convulsively.  He  drew  her  al- 
most roughly  into  his  embrace  and  stammered :     "Alice,  do 


172  EITHER,  OR. 

not  ask  me.  That  man  saved  me  from  death.  To  him  you 
owe  not  merely  my  life,  but  the  prospect  of  living  henceforth 
without  fear  and  care." 

At  first  she  looked  wonderingly  at  him,  then  the  truth 
seemed  to  dawn  upon  her,  for  she  shuddered  convulsively 
and  clutched  her  husband  with  a  fervor,  as  if  she  would  never 
release  him  again.  The  child  also  crept  into  the  embrace, 
and  then  and  there  rose  in  their  hearts  the  vow,  that  they 
would  endeavor  to  repay  the  debt  of  gratitude  they  had  con- 
tracted. 

An  hour  later  they  arrived  at  the  grocery,  where  they 
were  received  with  open  arms,  and  countenances  gleaming 
with  satisfaction,  that  they  must  have  been  confirmed  skep- 
tics indeed,  to  doubt  the  sincerity  of  their  hosts. 

Sophie  and  Alice,  as  we  may  as  well  call  her,  at  once 
launched  into  German,  evoking  from  Duncan  the  remark, 
that  he  would  have  to  learn  German,  to  prevent  being  sold  by 
these  ladies  half  a  dozen  times  every  day.  Richard  assured 
him  that  the  idea  was  an  excellent  one,  as  it  would  increase 
both  his  usefulness  and  his  profits,  and  surely  earn  the  money 
for  an  extra  dress  for  madam,  if  nothing  more. 

The  dinner  that  day  was  a  jolly  one,  for,  in  addition  to 
the  good  cheer,  there  wrere  cheerful  hearts  and  hopeful  minds. 
Duncan,  who  only  a  few7  hours  ago  had  been  on  the  verge  of 
despair,  now  yielded  to  an  irresistable  impetus,  and  enlivened 
the  company  with  his  jokes.  How  easy  it  is  to  be  happy, 
and  how  little  it  takes  to  make  us  so,  if  we  only  follow  the 
path  marked  out  by  prudence  and  moderation.  The  incubus 
of  want  and  wretchedness  once  removed,  and  the  spirits  of 
Richard's  proteges  rebounded  like  India  rubber  when  freed 
from  pressure. 

The  afternoon  was  devoted  to  the  discussion  of  their 
plans.  Duncan  had  not  said  too  much  in  asserting  that 
his  wife  was  one  of  the  best  women  living.  She  combined 
a  sweet  temper  with  intelligence  and  will  power,  and  showed 
an  enthusiasm  for  Richard's  grand  and  noble  idea  which 
filled  him  with  admiration  considering  the  injury  which  an  ill 


EITHER,  OR.  173 

judged  precipitation  of  her  husband  had  done  her  worldly  in- 
terests. She  was  keen  enough  to  see  that  the  principle  is  not 
responsible  for  its  misapplication,  and  alhough  the  work 
mapped  out  for  her  husband  implied  a  separation  from  him 
for  weeks,  and  maybe  months,  she  not  only  refrained  from 
raising  objections,  but  cheered  and  encouraged  Duncan  by 
word  and  mien.  More  than  once  Richard  caught  a  significant 
look  of  his  new  iriend,  saying :  "Ain't  she  a  daisy?  "to 
which  he  replied  with  so  vigorous  a  nod  as  to  make  the  other 
doubly  happy.  It  was  agreed  that  Duncan's  presence  was  not 
needed  in  Plutopolis,  as  Richard  intended  working  that  field 
and  felt  sure  of  being  able  to  secure  all  the  co-operation  he 
needed  JJrom  more  ordinary  material.  Duncan  was  there- 
fore to  go  to  one  of  the  interior  cities  to  begin  the  work  there. 
After  due  consultation,  Lakopolis  was  selected,  as  this  city 
was  not  only  of  immense  size  and  population,  but  also  grow- 
ing at  an  astonishing  rate,  containing  at  the  same  time  a  more 
than  ordinary  number  of  young,  energetic  and  intelligent 
people,  liable  to  be  affected  by  the  teachings  of  the  new 
apostle.  Duncan,  however,  was  not  to  go  until  he  had  pre- 
pared himself  for  his  new  career  by  the  acquisition  of  the  arts 
which  had  given  Richard  so  much  trouble.  Duncan  was  to 
draw  upon  Gottlieb,  whenever,  in  the  course  of  his  operations, 
he  needed  funds;  but  was  enjoined  to  use  the  utmost  economy, 
as  Richard  considered  his  money  merely  a  trust,  which  he 
held  for  the  people.  STor  did  he  deem  it  wise  to  confide  to 
his  all}T  the  full  extent  of  his  resources.  When  Duncan 
begged  him  to  give  him  an  outline  of  the  course  which  he 
ought  to  pursue,  Richard  said  : 

"This  is  a  difficult  task,  as  your  course  depends  much 
upon  circumstances ;  still,  in  the  main,  I  would  advise  that 
you  canvass  the  city  in  your  professional  character,,  visiting 
principally  the  habitations  of  laboring  people  and  the  domes- 
tic quarters  of  the  rich,  for  the  servants  of  both  sexes  are  as 
much  interested  in  our  movement  as  the  mechanic  and  the 
day  laborer.  Scatter  your  circulars  freely,  but  be  sure  to  add 
verbal    instructions   to  the   printed  matter,  as   the  subject  is 


i74  EITHER,  OR. 

novel  to  a  great  many,  and  the  intellect  often  so  dormant  as 
to  need  awakening  and  stimulation.  While  I  would  travel 
over  as  much  territory  as  is  at  all  consistent  with  thorough- 
ness, I  would  foster  the  seed  that  I  had  sown,  and  re-visit 
over  and  over  parties  betraying  interest  and  promising  positive 
or  even  neglecting  support." 

"Would  you  form  societies?  " 

"By  all  means,  although  you  will  have  to  use  the  utmost 
discretion  in  this  feature.  Guard  against  demanding  fees  or 
contributions  to  avoid  the  idea  and  suspicion  of  selfish 
motives  Only  when  the  mind  of  your  members  have  become 
enlightened ;  when  they  have  begun  to  look  upon  the  love  of 
self,  and  that  of  gold  as  a  degrading  element  in  the  human 
character,  accept,  and  even  stimulate  their  disposition  to  con- 
tribute to  the  cause  by  sums  adapted  to  their  means,  for  even 
the  greatest  treasure  would  soon  become  exhausted  under  the 
drainage  which  my  funds  will  soon  be  subjected.  Remember 
first  and  last,  and  always,  that  information  is  the  first  and 
most  indispensible  condition  of  our  success." 

"And  would  you  head  the  book  by  a  declaration  of  certain 
principles  or  obligations?" 

"Yes,  in  general  terms.  We  must  be  cautious,  Duncan. 
It  would  be  impolitic,  to  arouse  the  suspicion  of  our  adver- 
saries at  this  early  date  by  the  display  of  bravado,  or  our  ul- 
timate and  far  reaching  intentions.  I  need  not  inform  you 
that  our  foes  are  powerful,  if  they  are  weak  in  numbers,  and 
trust  sincerely  that  you  will  never  forget  the  necessity  of  pru- 
dence and  discretion.  Guard  even  against  too  full  an  initia- 
tion of  your  allies  into  the  portentious  character  of  the  inno- 
vations at  which  we  aim.  Only,  as  they  grow  in  knowledge, 
widen  the  scope  of  their  views,  and  steel  them  to  the  conse- 
quences, which  these  innovations  imply." 

"Then  you  anticipate  trouble,  Richard?" 

Richard  hesitated  a  moment ;  then  he  said  :  "That  de- 
pends. If  nry  hopes  and  expectations  are  not  fallacious ;  if 
our  leaven  permeates  all  ranks,  as  it  ought  to,  and  surely  will 
in  course  of  time,  we  shall,  I  think,  be  able  to  effect  the  solu- 


EITHER,  OR.  175 

tion  of  our  problem  in  a  peaceful  and  harmonious  manner.  If, 
however,  a  few  selfish  people  resist  our  just  demands,  at  a 
time  when  the  great  majority  of  the  people  demand  their  in- 
alienable rights,  they  must  bear  the  consequences,  and  blame 
themselves,  and  not  us,  for  being  trampled  upon." 

He  paused  a  moment,  but  seeing  the  cheeks  of  Mrs.  Dun- 
can blanching  a  little  under  the  idea  which  his  remarks  sug- 
gested, he  resumed  :  "I  know  that  some  people  will  object 
to  these  suggestions,  holding  that  no  one  ought  to  be  com- 
pelled, and  that  such  compulsion  is  tyranny.  I  can  only  say 
that  at  present  the  majority,  and  often  small  majority  rules. 
The  majority  which  I  anticipate  will  not  be  a  small  one ;  it 
will  and  must  be  overwhelming,  else  the  crops  are  not  ripe  for 
harvesting.  Utopians  will  tell  you  that  man  should  be  abso- 
lutely free  to  choose  and  that  no  one  has  the  right  to  compel 
him  to  labor  if  he  chooses  to  be  idle.  Well,  our  race  is  not 
capable  of  occupying  such  a  loftv  platform  at  present,  nor 
will  it  be  ready  to  occupy  it  for  centuries  to  come,  unless  we 
first  lift  it  upon  a  platform  allowing  a  greater  scope  of  vision 
and  comprehension,  and  it  is  for  such  a  platform  I  am  work- 
ing. A  noble  mother  in  her  dying  hour  warned  me  against 
Utopian  dreams,  and  never  will  I  forget  the  lesson  thus  in- 
culcated." 

His  hearers  sat  like  spell-bound.  At  length  Duncan 
heaved  a  deep  sigh  and  said :  "Your  mother  was  right,  and  I 
fully  agree  with  you  ;  but  do  you  know,  Richard,  that  you 
are  rather  a  queer  grinder  ?  I  did  not  know  that  there  was 
much  philosophy  in  a  grind  stone." 

Richard  colored  slightly,  then  said  with  a  smile  :  "Well, 
I  did  not  always  turn  the  crank ;  but  the  same  thing  holds 
true  of  you,  and  the  main  thing  is,  that  we  fill  our  new  post 
creditably  to  ourselves,  and  profitably  to  our  brethren." 

"Give  me  your  hand  on  that,  Richard.  But  now  let  me 
have  the  preamble  you  have  decided  upon." 

"Here  it  is,"  he  replied,  drawing  a  note  book  from  his 
pocket  and  handing  it  to  Duncan. 

"Won't  you  please  read  it  for  the  benefit  of  the  others?  " 


176  EITHER,  OR. 

Richard  opened  the  book  aud  began:  "We,  the  under- 
signed, deem  the  present  social  system  unjust,  and  calculated 
to  degrade  not  only  the  working  classes,  and  the  poor,  but 
even  those  enjoying  an  undue  portion  of  the  wealth  of 
the  earth,  hereby  combine  to  form  the  order  of  the 
nation,  and  pledge  ourselves  to  consider  with  due  circumspec- 
tion, and  support  with  all  our  strength  and  energy  all  honor- 
able means  and  measures  proposed  by  our  order,  to  bring 
about  the  abolition  of  the  present  wrongs  and  substitute  con- 
ditions, more  liberal,  just  and  humane."  "Don't  you  think 
that  covers  the  ground  without  exciting  suspicion?  " 

"It  means  a  good  deal,"  replied  Duncan  with  a  signifi- 
cant smile  "but  I  reckon  they  won't  take  much  umbrage  at 
this  preamble,  being  used  to  simular  declarations  worth  little 
more  than  the  paper  which  they  cover." 

"Nor  will  these  be  worth  more,  Charles,  without  a  gener- 
al spread  of  knowledge,  or  rather  wisdom  among  the  people. 
Knowledge  is  the  firm  platform  on  which  they  must  place 
their  batteries,  unless  the  wish  to  accomplish  their  own  ruin 
by  the  concussion  of  the  guns." 

"Even  so.     Can  you  spare  me  this  little  book?  " 

"Yes  a  dozen  of  them.  Be  sure  to  secure  ample  helpers 
in  your  work,  for  you  and  I  alone  might  work  a  hundred 
years  and  not  reach  half  the  people   interested  in  our  work." 

"I  understand,  and  you  may  depend  that  I  shall  use  all 
the  strength,  circumspection  and  perseverance  at  my  com- 
mand." 

"That's  all  I  can  ask.  A  rogue  you  know  promises  more 
than  he  can  fulfill." 

Happy  minutes  fly  very  fast,  and  before  they  know  it  the 
hour  of  departure  had  come.  The  Duncans  were  to  return  to 
their  attic  for  that  n;ght,  and  move  their  scanty  goods  early  in 
the  morning.  Gottlieb  possessed  a  spring  wagon  with  whose 
aid  the  transfer  could  easily  and  rapidly  be  made.  Indeed,  the 
hour  of  eight  had  hardly  passed  when  the  belongings  of  the 
Duncan's  arrived  at  the  grocery,  the  family  following  on  foot. 
An  hour  later  they  were    snugly    quartered  in  a  comfortable 


EITHER.  OR.  177 

room  of  the  second  story  and  Duncan  ready  to  begin  his  ap- 
prenticeship, while  Alice  insisted  on  helping  in  the  kitchen 
as  well  as  the  store.  Even  little  Fay  showed  her  willingness 
to  help,  succeeding  marvelously  in  dispatching  the  raisins 
which  Sophie  gave  her.  Duncan  learned  faster  than  was  ex- 
pected, in  fact  faster  than  his  teacher.  His  hands  were  harder, 
and  therefore  less  liable  to  be  blistered,  and  the  handling  of 
all  kinds  of  tools  in  his  profession  was  a  powerful  auxiliary 
which  gave  him  a  decided  advantage  over  Richard.  Only  in 
covering  old  umbrellas  he  showed  the  same  akwardness  to  the 
great  satisfaction  of  Richard,  who  declared  laughingly,  that 
without  this  circumstance  he  would  undoubtedly  have  split 
with  envy.  Seeing  his  pupil  so  apt  he  started  on  his  daily 
wanderings,  again  traversing  mostly  the  ward  inhabited  by 
poor  and  therefore  to  him,  interesting  people.  On  entering 
the  shop  of  a  tailor  on  a  small  scale  he  was  intrusted  with  the 
sharpening  of  several  shears.  The  tailor  watched  his  work, 
saying  :     "I  suppose  this  pays  you  pretty  well  ?  " 

"It  supplies  my  moderate  wants,  sir,  although  it  probably 
falls  considerably  short  of  tailoring,  I  reckon." 

The  tailor  shook  his  head.  "I  hardly  think  so,  for  my 
shop  does  not  provide  for  my  moderate  wants." 

"Well,  I  suppose  37our  wants  are  greater." 

"It  ain't  that.  You  see,  a  poor  fellow  can  hardly  compete 
with  these  large  establishments,  where  they  manufacture 
wholesale  and  sell  with  small  profits." 

"I  reckon  that  is  so.  Capital  is  stretching  out  its  arms  on 
all  sides  like  the  devil  fish,  and  like  this  fish,  its  embrace  is 
fatal." 

The  tailor  eyed  him  keenly.  "You  use  mighty  good 
language  for  a  grinder,"  he  said. 

Richard  was  aware  that  he  really  talked  above  his  trade, 
but  he  disliked  slang,  and  avoided  it  as  much  as  possible. 
"Well,"  he  said  in  explanation,  "I  went  to  school  con- 
siderably, and  can't  forget  my  old  tricks.  I  follow  this  trade 
more  from  inclination  than  necessity." 


178  EITHER,  OR. 

"I  see,  and  what  you  say  is  not  only  good  grammar,  but 
good  sense.     How  much  do  I  owe  you?  " 

"Only  twenty  cents.  Thank  you,  sir.  Well,  what  I 
meant  to  say :  The  people  are  much  to  blame  for  this  state  of 
affairs." 

"How  so.     How  can  they  help  it?" 

"Havn't  they  the  number  and  the  power?  Could  they 
not  shape  the  laws  to  suit  themselves?" 

"I  suppose  they  could;  but  that  will  never  be.  You 
can't  get  them  to  pull  one  way,  you  see." 

"You  could,  if  you  showed  them  the  folly  of  their  con- 
duct, that  is,  if  you  educated  them  up  to  it." 

"Well,  who  would  take  the  trouble?" 

"I,  for  one,  am  taking  it.  I  try  to  throw  light  upon  this 
subject,  wherever  I  go." 

"Well,  if  you  ain't  the  queerest  tinker  I  ever  seed.  Sit 
down,  and  let's  talk  a  bit.     I  like  to  discuss  this  p'int." 

"All  right;  I  can  spare  a  few  minutes,  if  you  can.  What 
do  you  wish  to  discuss?" 

"Well,  the  power  to  fight  capital  for  instance.  What  can 
even  a  few  hundred  devils  do  against  one  millionaire?" 

"A  few  hundred  can  do  nothing,  but  a  few  hundred 
thousands,  or  rather  all  the  laboring  men  of  the  country 
could." 

"You  can't  make  them  see  it  in  that  light;  one  would 
say  gee,  the  other  haiv,  and  the  third  wouldn't  pull  at  all." 

"As  I  said  before.  They  are  not  enlightened  on  the  sub- 
ject and  therefore  blind  to  their  interest,  as  well  as  to  their 
power." 

'"Tain't  no  use  to  try,  sir.  We  have  poor  people  now, 
and  we'll  always  have  them,  and  poor  people  have  no  time  to 
argue  the  p'int." 

"Well,  friend,  I  tell  you  what  I'll  do.  I'll  leave  you  a 
few  circulars  here.  Be  kind  enough  to  look  them  over,  and 
when  3rou  are  through  with  them,  hand  them  to  a  neighbor. 
When  I  pass  here  again,  I'll  drop  in  and  hear  what  you  have 
to  say." 


EITHER,  OR.  1 79 

"All  right;  give's  your  dokimeuts,  and  when  you  pass 
again,  drop  in  and  hear  what  I  think  of  them." 

Richard  shouldered  his  apparatus  and  left.     The  tailor, 
on  the  other  hand,  sat  down  and  was  soon  deeply  absorbed  in 
the  circulars  of  the  tinker.    Let  us  look  over  his  shoulder  and 
see  what  he  read  : 
To    Whom  It  May  Concern  : 

It  concerns  you ;  it  concerns  everybody,  no  matter  wheth- 
er old  or  young,  rich  or  poor,  for  this  article  discusses  our  so- 
cial conditions,  that  is,  your  condition,  your  neighbor's  condi- 
tion, every  body's  condition. 

Tell  me  :  Are  you  satisfied  with  yours?  Is  your  neigh- 
bor satisfied  with  his?  If  so,  you  and  he  are  rare  birds,  suit- 
able for  exhibition  and  calculated  to  draw  crowded  houses. 
No,  sir,  you  are  not  satisfied,  nor  is  your  neighbor  satisfied, 
nor  his  neighbor,  nor  anybody,  excepting  perhaps  the  very 
few  who  roll  in  gold,  and  spend  every  day  of  their  lives  in  lux- 
ury and  indolence,  and  even  these,  if  pressed,  will  confess  in 
the  innermost  recesses  of  their  hearts,  that  they  are  not  satis- 
fied, and  that  the  life  they  lead  is  not  worth  living. 

We  all  agree,  then,  that  our  social  condition  is  not  what 
it  should  be ;  but  when  we  take  a  step  further  and  say : 
"Come  lend  us  your  hand  and  strength  ;  aid  us  in  our  endeav- 
ors to  remove  the  evils  threatening  us  with  ruin  and  degreda- 
tion  !"  You  shrink  back,  saying;  "What  is  the  use?  These 
things  will  always  be  so.  We  have  always  had  sharks  to  de- 
vour the  fat  of  the  earth,  and  poor  to  sulk  and  grumble  but 
do  nothing  else.     It  will  always  be  so." 

Now,  how  do  you  know?  Is  it  not  just  as  silly  to  assert 
this  as  for  me  to  say  :  "It  will  not  always  be  so,  without  giv- 
ing you  my  reasons  for  this  assertion  ?  Do  you  think  that  if 
in  the  days  of  Rome's  glory  you  had  told  a  Roman  that 
Rome,  the  city  of  his  pride,  the  mistress  of  the  world,  would 
some  day  crumble  into  ruins,  over  which  a  mere  shadow  of  its 
former  glories  would  invite  the  pity  of  the  world  instead  of  its 
admiration.  Do  you  think  he  would  have  credited  your  asser- 
tion or  prophecy  ?       Hardly,  and   yet  that  ancient  Rome,  the 


[80  EITHER,  OR. 

dwelling  place  of  several  million  people,  lies  low,  bearing  on 
her  brow,  a  feeble  monarch  and  a  feebler  hierarch." 

Yon  are  like  this  ancient  Roman,  saying' :  "It  can  not 
be,  it  will  never  be,"  to  which  I  answer.  "Supposing  yon  and 
I  and  all  the  people  of  the  land,  or  at  least  an  overwhelming 
majority  should  determine  that  it  should  be  so;  is  there  any 
power  to  prevent  it?  The  trouble  is,  yon  and  your  neighbor, 
and  thousands  of  others  place  their  hands  behind  their  backs, 
-shake  their  heads  dubiously  and  say  :  'It  will  not  be,  it  can- 
not be."  ' 

Now  follow  me  a  moment.  You  know  that  we  are  on  the 
road  to  ruin  and  degradation  ;  that  a  social  revolution  is  in- 
evitable, a  revolution  which  will  undoubtedly  shake  the  struc- 
ture of  human  society  to  the  very  foundation,  a  revolution 
dire  in  proportion  to  its  postponement,  and  apt  to  sweep  away 
every  vestige  of  civilization  from  the  globe  if  Sufficiently  re- 
tarded. Yet  you  shrink  back  when  you  are  asked  to  lend  a 
helping  hand.  Would  not  the  realization  of  our  designs  be  a 
great  boom  to  the  human  race?  You  acknowledge  it  would, 
and  yet  you  refuse  to  join  us?  Why  is  this?  You  are  not 
expected  to  make  great  sacrifices ;  you  are  only  asked  to  give 
us  your  moral  support.  If  we  fail,  the  failure  will  not  affect 
you.  If  we  succeed,  your  condition  will  change  from  a 
wretched  and  perilous  one  into  a  glorious  one.  So  glorious 
that  you  can  hardly  conceive  its    grandeur  and  magnificence. 

The  Tinker. 

"Hm,  said  the  tailor,  looking  up  with  a  puzzled  look," 
this  tinker  beats  the  Methodist  preacher  on  the  corner  all 
hollow.  He  is  right,  too.  for  if  we  would  all  of  us  pitch  in  we 
could  twist  the  thing  into  any  shape  we  please.  Let  us  see, 
what  he  is  really  driving  at."     And  he  read  on: 

"How  will  we  bring  about  the  proposed  social  reform?" 
By  organizing///*?  Order  of  the  Nation  a  brotherhood  which  dis- 
regards color  and  caste,  rank  and  degree :  a  brotherhood 
based  upon,  and  aiming  at  the  recognition  of  the  following 
principles : 

i.     All  men  are  born  equal. 


EITHER,  OR. 


i8r 


This  axiom,  so  grand,  and  yet  so  ineffectual,  trite  and 
hackneyed  in  our  present  condition  of  society,  will  resume  its 
force  and  meaning  when  our  order  assumes  control  of  the 
national  affairs.  Then  all  children  will  be  educated  alike, 
favored  alike,  and  given  the  same  chances  in  the  pursuits  of 
life. 

2.  The  nation  owns  all  the  gifts  of  nature  treasured  up 
in  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  as  well  as  the  soil  composing  its 
surface  and  bearing  the  thousand  fruits  and  cereals  constituting 
the  food  of  man. 

3.  The  nation  must  own  the  highways  of  the  land,  pre- 
venting the  baneful  discrimination  now  prevailing  to  the 
detriment  of  the  people  and  the  aggrandizement  of  a  few 
favorites. 

4.  The  age  of  childhood  will  be  solely  devoted  to  the 
development  of  the  body  and  the  acquisition  of  knowledge  to 
dispel  that  terrible  cloud  of  ignorance,  superstition  and  big- 
otry now  hanging  over  and  ruining  this  glorious  land. 

5.  Perfect  liberty  of  conscience  must  and  shall  prevail. 
At  present  such  liberty  is  merely  nominal  as  the  statutes  of 
several,  nay  nearly  all  states  of  this  union  are  blotted  with 
and  by  law  controlling  the  actions  of  their  citizens  in  regard 
to  the  observance  of  holidays  and  Sabbaths.  Yea,  more. 
Constant  and  determined  efforts  are  being  made  to  recognize 
a  God  in  the  constitution,  thus  uniting  State  and  church  and 
infringing  upon  the  rights  of  citizens  who  deny  the  existence 
of  such  divinity. 

6.  Every  member  of  the  human  society  enjoying  its  ad- 
vantages, is  entitled  to  bear  a  proportionate  share  of  its  burden. 
In  other  words,  every  citizen  is  entitled  to  work  for  the 
maintainance  of  and  preservation  of  its  privileges. 

At  present,  a  large  portion  of  society  escapes  this  obli- 
gation, making  the  burden  of  the  other  sonorous  to  bear.  We 
shall  therefore  aim  at  an  equalization  of  this  burden  by  dis- 
tributing it  upon  all  shoulders.     Idlers  are  the  foes  of  society. 

7.  Labor  alone  produces  wealth.  All  laborers,  therefore, 
are  entitled  to  an  equal    share  of  the  profits  accrueing  from 


182  EITHER,  OR. 

labor.  As  all  are  possessed  of  equal  rights  and  give  the  same 
time  to  society,  all  should  be  paid  alike.  This  is  the  basis 
upon  which  we  propose  to  build  a  new  and  more  equitable 
society.  Every  disinterested  person  will  acknowledge  its  fair- 
ness, and  only  those  who  now  own  a  preposterous  share  of  the 
earth's  emoluments,  although  they  form  a  ridiculous  minority, 
can  and  do  object  to  it.  The  time  will  come,  and  come  soon, 
when  those  who  once  denounced  these  principles  will  hide 
their  faces  in  shame,  if  not  in  fear  and  trembling.  In  con- 
clusion we  shall  show  that  they  advocate  the  true  interest  not 
only  of  those  which  are  poor  and  down-trodden,  but  even 
those  who  trample  upon  their  brethren's  rights  and  appropriate 
a  share  of   the  earth's   wealth,  at  once  shocking  and  gigantic. 

The  poor  are  benefitted  by  our  reform. 

This  proposition  need  hardly  be  argued  at  length.  The 
poor  man  has  now  much  work  and  little  pleasure.  When  his 
long  hours  of  labor  are  over,  he  is  too  tired  to  enjoy  anything, 
even  supposing  he  had  something  to  enjoy,  which  is  not  the 
case.  Mental  enjoyment  is,  beyond  doubt  «the  keenest,  and 
this  enjoyment  their  ignorance  forbids  them  to  engage  in. 
Indeed,  it  is  not  saying  too  much  to  assert  that  the  poor 
man's  life  is  one  long  struggle  without  an  intermixture  of 
pleasure  and  recreation.  We  propose  to  educate  him,  thus 
enabling  him  to  participate  in  the  keen  delight  of  mental  en- 
joyment. Our  reform  will  benefit  the  middle  classes,  contain- 
ing the  professional  men,  the  teachers,  small  merchants, 
master  mechanic,  and  artisans  generally. 

We  need  not  point  out  the  fact  that  but  few  professional 
men  accumulate  sufficient  wealth  to  meet  the  days  of  old  age 
without  shrinking.  The  teachers,  when  getting  past  the  age 
of  usefulness,  are  flung  off  like  old  shoes  or  garments,  hardly 
good  enough  to  fill  the  rag  bag.  Such  teachers  we  propose 
to  make  the  nation's  honored  guests,  thus  freeing  their  minds 
from  the  fear  of  want  and  destitution. 

Ask  the  small  merchant,  the  master  mechanic,  whether 
he  does  not  experience  greater  difficulty,  every  day,  to  com- 
pete with  establishments   located  at  central    points,  but  send- 


EITHER,  OR.  183 

ing  out  their  ramifications  everywhere,  encroaching  upon  the 
smaller  local  establishments,  until  nothing  is  left  the  occu- 
pants, but  to  close  their  places  of  business.  Finally  the  blind, 
the  deaf,  the  cripple,  are  interested  in  our  success.  Are  these 
unfortunates  to  blame  for  their  misfortune?"  One  should 
almost  think  so  from  the  way  we  treat  them.  Far  from  being 
a  burden  in  the  days  of  our  reform,  they  too  will  become  the 
guests  of  the  nation,  being  members  of  this  nation — and  there- 
fore entitled  to  its  wealth. 

As  stated  before,  we  shall  insist  upon  the  performance  of 
a  fair  amount  of  labor  by  every  one,  but  this  amount  will  be 
small  when  compared  with  that  now  enforced  by  a  cruel  and 
bitter  necessity.  Moreover,  we  do  not  expect  our  people  to 
continue  this  work  when  age  and  infirmity  demand  a  cessation 
and  recreation.  At  an  age  to  be  determined  by  practice 
and  experience,  we  propose  to  let  our  faithful  laborers  rest, 
thus  giving  them  a  chance  to  enjoy  in  ease  and  peace  and 
prosperity,  years  so  often  marred  by  want  and  care. 

Our  rich  men  will  be  benefitted  by  our  reform. 

This  looks  like  a  bold  assertion ,  but  we  shall  find  no  trouble 
to  prove  it.  Has  any  one  ever  seen  a  sound  and  healthy  head 
upon  a.  sick  and  festering  body?  The  disease  may  be  in  the 
feet;  it  may  be  hidden  from  view  by  skillful  contrivances, 
but  sooner  or  later  the  head  will  also  become  infested  with 
the  malady.  It  is  simply  ridiculous  in  a  proud  and  wealth}- 
aristocracy  to  flatter  itself  with  the  hope  and  expectation  of 
being  spared  the  degredation  to  which  they  have  condemned 
the  masses.  A  brutal  plebs  will  make  brutal  patricians.  Let 
them  bear  this  truth  well  in  mind,  before  they  continue  to 
-pursue  their  foolish  course.  But,  without  regard  to  the 
danger  lurking  in  this  direction,  this  plutocracy  cannot  avoid 
a  deadly  struggle  in  its  own  ranks.  When  the  sharks  have 
devoured  the  small  fry  they  will  turn  against  one  another  and 
the  weaker  must  succumb  to  the  stronger,  until  at  last  one 
gigantic  monster  remains,  who  will  in  turn  be  attacked  and 
slain  by  the  mob,  emboldened  by  the  reduction  of  its  enemies 
in  number  and  the    gnawing  of  hunger.     Let  me    warn  you, 


iS4  HITHER,  OR. 

ye  nabobs  of  the  land.  The  day  will  surely  come  when  you 
will  tear  one  another,  and  slay  each  other  in  the  greater  zest 
and  cruelty  than  the  poor  despised  mob  ever  betrayed." 

When  Mr.  Stich — we  take  the  name  from  the  sign  over 
the  door — had  finished,  he  fell  into  a  reverie  so  profound  that 
we  have  not  the  heart  to  interrupt  it,  but  hasten  after 
Richard  whom  we  overtake  at  the  dirtiest  spot  of  a  rather 
dirty  ward.  He  stands  at  the  entrance  of  a  court,  his  natural 
philantrophy  battling  with  his  sense  of  smell,  as  to  his  propriety 
of  venturing  on  the  premises.  Let  jus  cast  a  glance  at  them. 
The  court  is  perhaps  150  feet  long,  by  fifteen  wide,  a  gutter 
running  the  entire  length  and  serving  as  a  receptacle  of  dirt 
of  every  description.  Small  shanties  face  the  court  on  both 
sides,  old  and  weather-beaten,  but  swarming  with  inhabitants, 
to  say  nothing  of  the  vermin  which  a  close  inspection  would 
undoubtedly  reveal.  Half  a  dozen  curs  lay  stretched  on  the 
cobblestone  pavement  and  they  had  no  sooner  noticed  our  friend 
when  they  ran  towards  him,  betraying  an  ardent  desire  of 
making  the  closer  acquaintance  of  his  calves  only  deterred  by 
various  vigorous  kicks,  from  carrying  this  desire  into  success- 
ful execution.  vSeveral  dozen  children  of  both  sexes  and  all 
ages  peopled  the  court,  with  features  so  thickly  coated  with 
dirt  as  to  prevent  the  visitor  from  judging  of  their  comeliness. 
Richard's  nose  battled  vigorously,  but  his  love  of  man  con- 
quered and  he  cautiously  wended  his  way  between  the 
wondering  children.  Some  of  them  ran  to  tell  their  mothers, 
and  soon  every  door  in  the  court  was  lined  with  curious 
women,  who  studied  the  stranger  with  lively  interest  until  he 
said  pleasantly  :  "Good  morning  folks.  I  come  to  see 
whether  you  have  anything  to  do  for  me.  How  are  the 
scissors?     Dull  enough  to  ride  to  Halifax  on?  " 

"Don't  know,  Surr:  Supposin'  you  try  and  let's  know? 
Only  twenty-five  cents  a  ride,  Surr." 

A  sally  of  laughter  awarded  this  attempt  at  wit.  Nothing 
dismayed,  our  friend  replied:  "Well  fetch  the  horse  out, 
mother.     If  it  is  as  sharp  as  your  wit  I  won't  try." 

Again  a  laugh.     The  woman  resumed.     "It  ain't  though. 


EITHER,  OR.  185 

The  baby  tried   to  cut    the  cat's   tail  with  it   and  nary  a  bit 
would  it  work.'' 

"Well,  fetch  her  out,  nevertheless.  Here  is  the  doctor 
for  such  patients." 

"But  there's  no  money  for  the  medicine.  We're  broke, 
we  are.'' 

"Never  mind,  ma'am.  I  havn't  the  chance  of  working 
for  such  a  beauty  every  day,  so  I'll  do  the  job  for  nothing." 
This  created  a  louder  laugh  than  before,  for  the  part}'  in 
question  was  a  toothless  crone  of  at  least  sixty-five,  and  not 
overburdened  with  beauty.  But  if  she  was  not  handsome,  she 
was  good-natured  and  clever. 

"Just  wait,  me  hearty,"  she  cried  with  a  grin;  "I'll  go 
to  fetch  her,  and  if  yer  do  the  job  well,  yer  shall  have  a  kiss." 

This  turned  the  laugh  on  Richard,  who  hastened  to  reply: 
"A  thousand  thanks,  madam;  but  being  a  tee-totaller,  I  must 
decline." 

A  minute  later  the  scissors  were  handed  to  him,  and  he 
proceeded  to  sharpen  them.  When  he  had  finished,  he  looked 
around  and  said:  "I  don't  know  how  soon  I'll  meet  such  a 
fair  crowd  again,  so  I'll  make  the  best  of  it,  and  sharpen  all 
the  scissors  you  can  raise.  Who'll  be  next?  I  see  it  is  just 
eleven  and  I'll  devote  the  next  hour  to  the  service  of  the  fair 
sex.". 

As  the  people  saw  he  was  in  earnest  they  ran  laughing 
into  their  houses,  bringing  forth  scissors  of  all  sizes,  which 
he  sharpened  with  due  zeal,  saying  a  pleasant  word  to  the 
owners,  who  thought  it  a  capital  joke,  and  the  joker  a  capital 
fellow.  He  was  very  nearly  through  when  there  was  a  sudden 
commotion  in  the  crowd  around  him,  the  women  scampering 
off  in  all  directions,  and  some  of  them  crying:  "It  is  Jim  Mur- 
phy, and  drunk  he  is."  Richard  looked  around  and  discovered 
at  the  distance  of  half  a  dozen  feet,  a  man  more  disgusting 
than  formidable,  although  his  sinewy  neck  and  his  sledge 
hammer  fists  betrayed  no  ordinary  strength.  Richard  did  not 
fear  him,  because  he  had  no  cause  for  fear,  and  the  look  he 
cast  at  him  showed  more  curiosity   than    anything  else.     The 


186  EITHER,  OR. 

man  was  pock-marked.  His  hair  was  of  a  fiery  red  and  his 
face  showed  half  a  dozen  scars,  by  no  means  calculated  to  in- 
crease the  attraction  of  a  face  naturally  ugly.  His  brow  was 
knit,  and  his  eyes  scowled  in  a  manner  hardly  calculated  to 
make  a  more  intimate  acquaintance  desirable.  His  clothes  were 
not  only  dirty,  but  ragged  to  such  an  extent  as  to  create  the 
fear  in  the  beholder  of  seeing  them  drop  from  his  body. 

"What  are  you  doing  here? "  he  asked  with  a  snarl,  when 
he  caught  Richard's  eye.  Our  friend  saw  that  he  was  under 
the  influence  of  liquor,  although  not  sufficiently  to  deprive 
him  of  the  use  of  his  limbs.  Not  wishing  to  provoke  a  per- 
son in  this  condition,  he  replied  good  naturally:  "I  have  been 
sharpening  the  scissors  of  these  ladies  ;  but  being  through, 
I'll  say  good  bye  to  you." 

"Yes,"  you  better  vamoose.  Have  been  making  love 
to  the  ould  woman,  I  reckon.  Off  with  you,  or  I'll  give  you  a 
start.     Do  ye  hear?" 

With  these  words  he  advanced,  giving  the  grinding  ap- 
paratus such  vicious  a  kick  as  to  send  it  spinning,  and  break- 
ing the  stone.  Richard  was  in  a  dilemma.  He  wished  to 
visit  these  premises  again,  with  the  view  of  improving  the 
condition  of  the  inmates  and  elevating  them  intellectually,  if 
they  would  let  him  ;  but  he  knew  at  the  same  time  that  these 
people  despised  cowardice,  and  he  would  lose  all  his  prestige 
with  them  if  he  showed  the  white  feather.  So  it  was 
really  more  for  their  sake  than  his  own,  that  he  resolved  to 
resist  further  aggressions  on  the  part  of  this  bully.  He  gave 
him  a  vigorous  push,  which  caused  him  to  reel  back,  and  said 
sternly:  "No  more  of  this,  sir,  if  you  please." 

Jim  Murphy  evidenth  had  not  expected  this.  He  was 
probably  so  used  to  seeing  his  surroundings  crouch  before  his 
threats  and  commands,  that  he  considered  any  resistance  to 
his  orders  not  only  preposterous,  but  impossible. 

An  angry  red  flushed  his  face ;  he  clinched  his  hands  into 
formidable  fists  and  said,  advancing  once  more :  "And  'tis 
for  a  foight  ye  be  spoilin.  Well,  ye  can  be  accomerdated,  me 
hardy." 


EITHER,  OR.  187 

Richard  saw  that  he  was  realty  in  for  a  fight ;  so  he 
resolved  to  make  it  both  short  and  decisive,  and  when  Jim 
was  near  enough  he  made  several  feints  and  then  gave  his 
assailant  so  telling  a  blow  on  his  left  eye  that  he  reeled  back 
with  the  certain  prospects  of  losing  the  vision  of  that  organ 
■of  sight  for  the  next  twenty-four  hours.  Jim  for  a  moment 
was  immensely  surprised,  but  this  sensation  was  mild  in  com- 
parison with  the  wrath  which  filled  his  virtuous  heart  after- 
wards. He  uttered  an  inarticulate  howl  of  rage,  then  lower- 
ing his  bulky  head  like  a  battering  ram,  he  rushed  towards 
our  friend  with  the  evident  intention  of  closing  with  him. 
Richard  saw  this.  He  remained  at  his  place  just  long  enough 
to  let  his  foe  imagine  the  successful  issue  of  this  ruse.  Then 
he  sprang  aside  suddenly  and  with  the  rapidity  of  lightning 
landed  so  terrible  a  left  hander  on  the  fellow's  temple  that  he 
fell  to  the  ground  with  a  heavy  thud. 

Richard  had  remained  perfectly  cool,  and  no  sooner  had 
he  put  his  adversary  "hors  du  combat,"  than  his  heart  was 
filled  with  compassion.  He  stooped  over  the  unconscious 
body  to  ascertain  the  extent  of  his  injuries,  and  for  a  mo- 
ment was  really  afraid  of  having  hurt  him  more  permanently 
than  he  had  intended.  While  thus  examining  him  he  was 
joined  by  a  pale  middle  aged  woman  who  knelt  at  his  side  and 
felt  for  his  pulse. 

"He  isn't  dead,  I  trust?  "     Richard  inquired  anxiously. 

"Indeed,  and  he  ain't.  It  would  take  a  worser  thrashin' 
nor  this  to  kill  Jim  Murphy." 

"Does  he  belong  to  3'ou,  madam?" 

"He  is  me  husband,  yer  honor,  and  sorry  it  is  I  am  for  his 
bein  it." 

"I  am  sorry  I  was  forced  into  this  disgraceful  row." 

"Ye  needn't  excuse  yerself,  Surr.  We  all  seed  as  how  he 
bullied  you.  May  be  'tis  a  lesson  as  will  teach  him  better  the 
next  toime." 

"He  is  coming  to.  Let  me  assist  you  in  getting  him  into 
the  house.     Steady  now,  here  you  go." 


188  EITHER,  OR. 

With  the  exertion  of  all  his  strength  Richard  raised  the- 
man  first  into  a  sitting  posture  and  then  to  his  feet. 

"Lean  on  me,  sir,"  he  said  kindly,  leading  the  bewildered 
bully  in  the  direction  his  wife  indicated.  They  entered  a 
squalid  room  and  lowered  the  patient  on  a  ragged  bed  in  a 
corner.  Then  Richard  drew  a  dollar  from  his  pocket,  slipped 
it  into  the  woman's  hand  and  whispered  :  "Get  some  arnica 
and  make  bandages  for  his  eye  and  temple  ;  I'll  call  to-morrow 
and  see  how  he  is." 

"And  may  the  Howl}-  Mother  bless  you,"  the  woman 
cried,  accompanying  these  words  with  a  look  truly  eloquent. 
Then  she  led  him  to  the  court,  where  his  former  patrons  had 
reassembled  to  discuss  the  exciting  episode  and  its  merits.  It 
was  evident  from  the  character  of  their  remarks  that  the 
chastisement  he  had  inflicted  on  Mr.  Murphy  had  raised  him 
immensely  in  their  estimation,  much  more,  in  fact,  than  any 
words  or  arguments  could  have  done  Murphy  evidently  was 
no  favorite,  and  the  lesson  Richard  had  taught  him  created  a 
satisfaction  as  great  as  universal.  Nor  did  his  wife  form  an 
exception.  Her  neighbors  pjobably  suffered  only  now  and 
then  Irom  his  drunkenness  and  meddlesome  spirit;  but  his 
wife  evidently  endured  an  uninterrupted  martyrdom  to  judge 
from  her  haggard  looks  and  woebegone  expression.  When 
Richard  reached  the  court  he  found  his  apparatus  righted  and 
the  damage  repaired,  excepting  of  course,  the  broken  grind- 
stone, whose  restoration  was  beyond  the  power  of  these  rude, 
but  kind-hearted  people.  As  he  approached,  one  of  them  said 
apologetically:  "And  it  is  sorry,  indade,  we  are,  to  see  ye  thus 
traited.  It  is  a  shame,  it  is,  the  way  Mister  Murphy  traited 
ye,  and  it  is  Mrs.  Mumhv  hersilf  as  is  sorrv." 

"Oh,  never  mind,  good  people,"    Richard    said   cheerily,. 

"A  little   cement    will    make   that  fracture    all  right.     I    am 

only  sorry  I  can't    finish    your  scissors    now;  but  if  you  will 

have  patience,  friends,  I  will  use    some    idle    hour  to  sharpen 

not  only  your  scissors,  but  mend  your  pots  and  kettles  in    the 

bargain." 

"And  sure,  'tis  the    loike    of  you    to    do  such  kind  acts," 

4 


EITHER,  OR.  189 

cried  the  spokeswoman ;   "may  all  the  saints   be    with  ye/,  and 
take  you  from  the  purgatory  in  a  whiffy. " 

This  benevolent  wish  created  laughter  and  applause,  in 
the  midst  of  which  our  friend  withdrew  from  the  court.  He 
was  surprised  that  the  news  of  the  encounter  had  spread  all 
over  the  neighborhood,  and  at  first  amused,  but  then  seriously 
annoyed  at  finding  himself  a  hero  in  consequence.  "There  is 
human  nature  for  you,"  he  soliloquized.  "I  might  spend 
months  and  years  in  earnest  endeavors  to  improve  you,  and 
remain  unnoticed  and  unappreciated.  But  here  I  teach  a 
brutal  sot  manners,  and  I  am  noted  and  admired." 

It  was  really  too  bad,  and  our  friend  is  surely  excusable 
in  forming  a  poor  idea  of  some  traits  of  human  characters. 
His  reflections,  however,  were  merely  transitory,  so  we  will 
pass  them  by,  and  record  his  next  steps.  After  leaving  the 
court  he  turned  in  the  direction  of  the  grocery,  both  his  watch 
and  stomach  indicating  to  the  nearness  of  noon ;  but  when  a 
woman  stopped  him  on  the  way,  asking  him  to  sharpen  some 
scissors  and  knives  for  her,  he  stopped  to  express  his  regret 
of  being  unable  to  accommodate  her  on  account  of  the  break- 
ing of  his  stone.  "Ah,  yov>  are  the  man  that  whipped  Jim 
Murphy,"  she  said,  with  a  lively  interest.  "He  is  a  holy  ter- 
ror, he  is,  and  I  am  glad  you  taught  him  a  lesson." 

"He  seems  to  have  but  a  few  friends  in  the  neighborhood. 
I  wonder  he  is  allowed  to  bluff  an  entire  community  in  this 
manner." 

"Friends?  I  should  say,  not  even  counting  his  poor  wife, 
whom  he  beats  as  regularly  as  the  sun  rises.  You  say  you 
wonder  he  ain't  stopped?  Well,  it  is  a  wonder.  They  say  he 
is  powerfully  strong  and  a  terrible  fighter.  I  wonder  you  beat 
him,  you  don't  look  extra  strong." 

"Well  looks  are  sometimes  deceptive,  madam." 

"So  they  be.  Are  you  comin  this  way  soon?  If  so  I'll 
wait  for  you  as  I  have  a  good  deal  of  grinding  and  mending 
to  do." 

"I'll  be  'round  this  afternoon  ;  but  tell  me  madam,  do  you 
know  who  owns  that  court  ?  " 


i9o  EITHER.  OR. 

"Dennis  Court,  you  mean?  Yes  it  is  owned  by  a  rich 
Irishman  across  the  street,  here  ;  O'Flannigan  is  his  name." 

"He  don't  seem  to  have  the  wellfare  of  his  tenants  much 
at  heart  madam,  the  way  the  buildings  look." 

"He?    Of  course,  he  hain't.     All  he  cares  for  is  the  rent." 

"Do  you  know  whether   the  property  could  be  bought  ?  " 

"I  know  it  could,  in  fact,  it  has  been  in  the  market  a  good 
while  but  nobody  seems  to  want  it,  probably  because  the  rent 
is  so  low  and  uncertain.  I  do  wish  somebody  would  buy  it  to 
make  a  decent  place  of  it.  It  is  a  real  nuisance  and  a  disgrace 
to  the  neighborhood." 

Richard  thanked  the  lady  and  proceeded  on  his  way.  A 
new  idea  had  risen  in  his  mind.  Was  it  not  his  duty,  in  fact, 
not  a  part  of  his  plan  to  take  an  interest  in  these  rude  and  un- 
couth, but  clever  and  kind  hearted  people?  If  so,  how  were 
they  best  to  be  reached?  He  had  half  a  million  of  his  phono- 
graph money  left,  and  wondered  whether  it  would  not  be  a 
good  idea  to  invest  a  portion  of  it  in  the  purchase  and  im- 
provement of  Dennis  Court?  These  thoughts  still  filled  his 
mind  when  he  reached  the  grocery,  causing  him  to  be  so 
taciturn  as  to  evoke  Sophie's  question,  whether  anything  had 
gone  amiss  that  morning? 

This  reminded  him  of  his  encounter  with  worthy  Jim, 
and  he  proceeded  to  give  his  friends  a  graphic  account  of  the 
combat.  Next,  he  told  them  his  thoughts  concerning  his  duty 
to  these  poor  foreigners,  asking  their  opinion   of  the   matter. 

"For  my  part,"  said  Sophie  earnestly,  "I  think  the  Irish  are 
as  good  as  other  folks.  They  don't  always  pay  very  well  but 
I  reckon  that  is  because  thev  hain't  no  money." 

"That's  exactly  my  opinion,"  joined  in  Gottlieb.  "The 
Irish  are  a  little—  a  little — well  a  little  untidy,  but  they  are  good- 
hearted  like  big  children,  and  always  ready  to  help  you  when 
they  can." 

"That  settles  it.  Gottlieb,  do  you  think  we  could  cement 
my  grind  stone?" 

"It  is  emery,  sir,  so  I  don't  know ;  but  then  we  can   try." 

"We  will  try.  Do  you  know  where  the  cement  bottle  is?" 


EITHER,  OR.  191 

Sophie  produced  a  small  phial  containing  a  label  to  the 
effect  that  this  cement  would  cement  all  breaks,  including 
broken  hearts,  on  which  recommendation  Richard  applied  it 
to  the  broken  grind  stone.  For  once  the  label  had  told  the 
truth,  or  at  least  a  part  of  the  truth.  Richard  having  no 
opportunity  just  then  to  test  its  assertion  as  to  hearts.  A 
little  after  one  the  last  trace  of  the  feud  had  disappeared,  and 
Richard  set  out  to  meet  the  party  that  had  so  many  tools  to 
grind  and  so  many  pots  and  kettles  to  mend.  He  found  her 
at  home  and  was  soon  busily  engaged  in  restoring  her  property 
to  its  original  beauty  and  usefulness.  She  sat  by,  gazing  at  his 
work  and  plying  her  tongue  at  the  same  time. 

"Do  you  know  madam,"  Richard  chimed  in  at  a  break, 
"what  Mr.  O'Flanuigan  would  take  for  his  court?  " 

"I  did  know.  Let  me  see,  I  think  it  was  fifty  thousand, 
but  Ben  thinks  it  could  be  bought  for  forty-five." 

"Who  is  Ben?" 

"Oh,  my  old  man,  you  know.  He  and  Mr.  O'Flannigan 
are  cronies,  so  Ben  ought  to  know.  But  you  don't  think  of 
buying  yourself,  do  you  ?  " 

"I  !     A  poor  tinker  ?     Well,  that's  rich." 

"Then  you  know  of  a  customer,  do  you?  " 

"That's  more  likely.  A  fellow  wants  to  make  a  penny 
whenever  he  can,  you  know." 

"Ah,  it  is  a  commission  you  are  after?  Well,  Mr. 
O'Flannigan  lives  in  that  fine  brick  house  across  from  here 
and  if  you  will  call  there  you  can  find  out  all  about  it." 

It  took  Richard  a  full  hour  to  finish  the  job,  and  when  he 
was  done  both  parties  were  pleased,  he  with  the  new  dollar 
he  slipped  in  his  pocket ;  she  with  the  handsome  countenance, 
the  good  manners,  and  finally  the  satisfactory  execution  of  the 
work.  Richard  went  straight  for  Mr.  O'Flannigan's  house. 
He  rang  the  bell  which  was  answered  by  a  very  small  fellow, 
whose  fat,  however,  made  up  for  his  shortness.  His  little 
eyes  were  half  hidden  by  the  layers  of  fat  under  them,  but 
Richard  perceived  that  they    glittered  with  an  avaricious  fire. 


i92  EITHER,  OR. 

"Any  work  for   me,  boss?"   Richard   inquired  carelessly. 

The  other  measured  him,  and  was  on  the  point  of  denying" 
when  a  certain  recollection  seemed  to  strike  him. 

"Several  of  my  butcher  knives  are  dull,  as  well  as  some 
hatchets.     What  do  ye  charge!*  " 

"Let  me  see  and  I  will  tell  you." 

The  man  led  the  way    into  a   small  shop    and  the  laying 
tools  in  question  in  a  heap,  asked  shortly'  : 
'Well,  how  much  r  " 

"Fifty  cents." 

"Give  you  forty.     Is  it  a  bargain?  " 

"It  is,"  replied  Richard,  depositing  his  apparatus,  and  be- 
ginning operations.  "Pretty  well  fixed,  'Squire,"  he  remarked, 
after  a  while.     "Your  own  property,  I  reckon  ?  " 

"I  should  think  so.  I  own  this  house  and  the  next  five 
and  mighty  good  property  they  be." 

"You  own  the  court  too,  they  tell  me." 

"I  does,  and  mighty  poor  property  it  be,  too.  Haven't 
drawn  a  dollar  rent  this  month." 

"Too  bad.     Why  don't  you  sell  ?  " 

"Can't.     It  seems  nobody  wants  the  darned  court." 

"How  much  do  you  ask  for  it  ?  " 

"Want  to  buy?"  Mr.  O'Flannigan  inquired,  the  glitter  of 
his  eyes  increasing  visably. 

"Not  myself,  of  course,  but  I  know  a  rich  chap  that  might 
bite,  if  I  present  the  matter  in  a  favorable  light." 

"Tell  you  what  I'll  do.  Make  it  all  right  with  you. 
Wouldn't  mind  a  dollar  or  two." 

"Very  generous,  indeed,"  said  Richard,  laughing;  "but 
you  havn't  given  me  the  figures  yet." 

"Well,"  replied  the  butcher,  who  began  to  regret  that  he 
had  decried  his  own  property.  "The  sight  is  illigent,  you 
know,  and — " 

"I  understand  all  that,"  Richard  replied  cooly.  "It  is 
the  amount  I  wish  to  know." 

"Eggsactly,"    said   the    fat   man,    wiping  his    brow.     "I 


EITHER.  OR.  193 

am  coming  to  that.     It  is  fifty  thousand  dollars,  I'll  take  for 
the  court,  and  nary  cent  less." 

"Here  are  your  tools,  sir,"  said  Richard,  getting  ready 
for  a  start.  "Thank  you,  sir,  I  trust  you  will  give  me  your 
trade.     Good  bye  to  you." 

"Stop  a  moment,  if  you  please.  You  hain't  given  me 
you  friend's  name  vet." 

"Hadn't  the  intention,  sir.  Fifty  thousand  is  too  much, 
and  'tis  no  use  to  tell  my  friend  either,  for  I  know  he  wouldn't 
bite  at  that." 

"Well,  at  what  figure  would  he  bite,  then?  I  want  to 
get  the  pesky  court  off  my  hands,  and  if  you  make  me  any 
ways  a  decent  offer,  I  shall  accept." 

"Now  you  talk  business.  What  do  you  think  of  forty- 
five  cash? " 

The  butcher  hesitated  a  moment,  then  he  said  :  "It's  a  bar- 
gain, sir.     Where  can  I  see  your  friend  ?" 

"You  can't  see  him  at  all,  as  he  is  not  in  the  city,  but  I'll 
bring  you  a  lady   who  attends  to  his  business  for  him." 

"When  will  you  bring  her?  " 

"This  afternoon,  if  that  suits  you." 

It  suited  Mr.  O'Flannigan  very  well,  so  Richard  left  the 
shop,  and  made  directly  for  the  Velder  mansion.  Here  he 
expressed  his  desire  to  see  Mrs.  Kean.  She  invited  him  in, 
and  asked  him  what  he  wanted  as  soon  as  they  were  alone. 
He  told  her,  adding:  "Aunt  L,aura,  here  is  a  field  of  home 
mission  for  you,  or  rather  for  somebody  whom  you  will  please 
select.  First  and  foremost  we'll  have  to  fight  the  filth  and 
squallor  of  the  place,  for  with  such  a  powerful  ally,  Old  Harry 
would  be  invincible.  But  of  that  another  time.  Can  you 
spare  me  half  an  hour,  to  close  the  bargain?'' 

"Readily  and  cheerfully.  It  is  not  far  to  the  place,  so  we 
may  as  well  walk." 

"No,  aunty,  a  real  lady  does  not  lower  herself  by  walking 
with  a  common  tinker.  Besides  I  want  you  to  impress  the 
butcher  by  the  grandeur  of  your  style." 

"Then  you  will  not  accompany  me?  " 


194  EITHER,  OR. 

"I  think  I  had  better  not.  You  close  the  bargain  at  forty- 
five  thousand,  and  invite  the  butcher  to  the  office  to  receive 
his  money,  as  soon  as  he  has  complied  with  all  due  formalities. 
I  must  make  some  more  calls  this  afternoon  to  earn  my  sup- 
per, you  know." 

Again  it  must  suffice  to  state  that  the  court  was  purchased, 
to  the  consternation  of  its  tenants,  who  feared  to  get  from  the 
frying  pan  into  the  fire,  a  fear  well  justified  by  the  general 
tenor  of  the  landlords. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


DRAINING    A    HUMAN    SWAMP. 


Early  the  next  morning  as  Richard  was  passing  Dennis 
Court  he  made  it  a  point  to  walk  in  and  knock  at  Murphy's 
door,  which  was  opened  by  Mrs.  Murphy  in  person.  A  bright 
smile  passed  over  her  worn  features  and  she  said  eagerly: 
"And  it  is  really  ye,  Misther  Brown  ?  It  is  real  glad  I  am 
to  see  you." 

"And  how  is  Mr.  Murphy  ?  " 

"  '  Tis  kind  in  you  to  ask,  surr.  Jim  be  quite  comfortable 
loike,  and  would  loike  to  see  you,  surr." 

She  turned  and  Richard  followed  her  to  the  squalid  room 
of  yesterday,  and  saw  his  antagonist  stretched  on  the  bundle 
of  rags,  honored  with  the  name  of  bed.  Jim  was  sober  now, 
but  his  right  eye  was  still  closed,  and  the  color  of  the  rainbow 
adorned  that  part  of  his  face  which  had  come  in  contact  with 
Richard's  fist.  The  man  raised  himself  slightly  on  one  elbow 
as  he  saw  Richard  enter,  and  said  very  humbly  :  "And  sure 
Mr.  Brown,  it's  very  kind  in  ye  to  visit  the  loikes  of  me.  She 
tells  me  as  I  acted  very  ugly  to  ye  yesterday." 

"Well,  you  were  under  the  fumes  of  liquor,  Mr.  Murphy, 
so  we  will  say  nothing  more  about  it.  How  do  you  feel  this 
morning?" 

"Better  than  I  deserve,  surr.     The  owld  woman  got  the 


EITHER,  OR.  195 

doctor  stuff  ye  speak  about,  and  it  has  helped  me  a  powerful 
sight.  Hang  me,  if  ever  I  forget  the  kindness  you  have 
showed  me,  surr." 

"Well,  some  of  that  kindness  was  rather  rough,  Mr.  Mur- 
phy." 

"Don't  misther  me,  surr.     Its  Jim  to  my  friend  surr." 

"All  right,  then,  Jim." 

"That's  more  loike  it.  Rather  rough,  ye  were  sayin  ? 
Well  hardly  rough  enough  for  a  fellow  who  allows  liquor  to 
get  the  better  of  him." 

"And  beats  his  wife  when  he  is  full"  said  Richard  sternly. 
"See  here,  Jim,  I  just  want  to  say  one  word  to  you.  You  say 
I  am  your  friend.  Well,  then  I  will  be  a  friend  to  you,  and  do 
for  you  all  I  can.  But  if  I  ever  hear  that  you  strike  this  good 
woman  again  I'll  come  and  give  you  such  a  threshing  that  all 
the  arnica  in  the  world  won't  help  you.  Mind,  I  mean  ex- 
actly what  I  say." 

And  Jim  did  mind  it.  He  was  one  of  those  natures  which 
you  cannot  bend,  but  which  you  can  break.  He  knew  him- 
self to  be  a  powerful  man  and  no  mean  fighter,  and  the  ease 
and  rapidity  with  which  Richard  had  laid  him  out  had  secured 
in  his  rough  nature  a  respect  bordering  on  affection.  We  do 
not  wish  to  paint  him  as  a  pattern,  and  when  we  say  that  he 
felt  towards  our  friend  much  like  the  mastiff  who  licks  his 
master's  hand  that  chastised  him,  we  do  not  wish  to  intimate 
that  we  consider  this  the  highest  type  of  our  race.  Richard 
understood  him  instinctively,  and  had  chosen  his  words  ac- 
cordingly. He  raised  his  hand  entreatingly,  crying.  "Don't 
now,  Misther  Brown,  I'll  never  do  it  again,  least  ways,  not  if 
I  can  help  it.  Ye  must  not  be  too  hard  on  a  poor  lellow,  and 
help  him  a  little  to  fight  against  his  owl  inimy." 

"That  I  will,  Jim.  I'll  help  you  by  giving  you  work.  It 
is  the  idle  man,  you  know,  that's  ready  for  all  sorts  of  mis- 
chief." 

"And  'tis  the  truth,  ye  speak  there,  Mister  Brown,"  Mrs. 
Murphy  interposed.     "When  Jim  has  work  he  is  all  right,  but 


196  HITHER,  OR. 

when  he  loafs,  and  gits  in  with  them  rum  sops,  he  kicks  the 
traces." 

"Well,  we'll  keep  him  straight,  Mrs.  Murphy,  trust  me  for 
that.  He  has  promised  to  let  you  alone.  If  he  breaks  that 
promise  you  just  come  to  me,  and  say  a  word,  and  then  he'll 
discover  that  I,  for  my  part,  am  good  at  keeping  mine.  Now, 
good  bye.     I'll  call  again  in  a  day  or  two  and  give  Jim  a  job." 

Mrs.  Murphy  told  her  neighbors  afterwards,  that  she 
was  really  as  feared  of  Misther  Brown,  as  of  His  Riverence, 
a  pretty  strong  expression  for  a  devout  Catholic,  considering 
that  His  Riverence  holds  the  keys  to  heaven  and  paradise. 

As  Richard  stepped  into  the  court,  he  saw  the  entire  pop- 
ulation of  that  choice  spot  huddled  together.  A  dozen 
tongues  rattled  at  the  same  time,  but  when  Richard's  form 
became  visible  in  the  door  every  voice  was  hushed,  making 
the  silence  almost  painful.  As  the  young  man  approached 
the  motley  group,  the  old  woman  who  had  joked  with  him  the 
day  before,  took  courage,  and  said,  after  a  deep  obeisance : 
"The  top  of  a  good  mornin'  to  ye,  Mr.  Brown." 

"The  same  to  you  all.     Can  I  do  anything  for  you? " 

"Well,  yis.  We  heard,  as  how  ye  had  bought  this  court, 
surr." 

"Well,  a  very  particular  friend  has  bought  it.  What 
of  it?" 

"Well,  Misther  Brown,  we  all  beared,  as  you,  he  would 
turn  us  all  into  the  street,  surr." 

"Tell  those  who  said  this  that  it  is  a  base  lie." 

"The  Howly  Virgin  bless  him.  I  tould  them  so.  Sez  I 
to  them:  'And  is  it  Misther  Brown's  friend  as  would  do  so 
mane  a  thing?  Indade  and  double;  a  man  loike  Misther 
Brown  has  dacent  friends,  that's  what  I  said.'  ' 

"And  you  were  right,  madam." 

"So  we  can  stay  on  and  won't  have  the  rint  raised 
neither?  " 

"The  rent  will  not  be  raised,  but  you  will  have  to  move 
a  while  because  Mr.  Velder  intends  putting  up  better  houses 
with  all  modern  improvements." 


EITHER,  OR.  197 

"But  when  the  houses  are  built  he'll  double  the  rint 
on  us?  " 

"Fear  nothing,  good  people.  My  friend  says  he  will  not 
charge  you  more  for  the  new  houses  than  Mr.  O'Flannigan  did 
for  the  old  ones,  and  I  know  that  he  will  not  break  his  word." 

"Three  chairs  for  Misther  Brown's  friend.'' 

When  the  noise  had  subsided  the  crone  inquired:  "But 
Misther  Brown  where  will  we  go  until  the  new  houses  are 
finished? " 

Never  before  had  Richard  been  so  deeply  impressed  with 
the  utter  helplessness  of  these  big  children.  Like  children, 
they  manage  pretty  well,  as  long  as  the  regular  daily  task  is 
set  for  them.  But  if  the  slightest  obstacle  presents  itself, 
the}'  cry  for  mamma,  or  somebody  else  having  charge  of  them, 
huddling  together  like  sheep  threatened  by  the  wolf.  Richard 
saw  plainly  that  it  would  be  folly  to  ask  or  expect  them  to 
provide  for  the  rising  emergency,  but  while  he  recognized 
their^helplessness  and  the  necessity  of  taking  matters  in  his 
own  hand,  he  also  resolved  that  greater  self-reliance  should  be 
one  of  the  first  lessons  taught  them. 

"Now  listen,  friends,"  he  said  earnestl}-  and  impressively 
"you  surely  don't  expect  Mr.  Velder,  or  rather  Mrs.  Kean,  who 
attends  to  his  business,  to  hunt  you  lodgings,  while  he  builds 
you  new  houses.  That  would  be  a  little  too  presumptuous, 
would  it  not  ?  " 

"But  you  see  Misther  Brown,  'tis  out  of  the  rinting  season, 
and  where  would  the  loikes  of  us  find  a  house   as  is  vaicant?" 

"Well,  I'll  tell  Mrs.  Kean,  but  I  doubt  very  much  whether 
she  can  or  will  take  the  trouble  of  hunting  lodgings  for  you. 
I  have  not  the  time  to  discuss  the  matter  now,  but  advise  you 
kindly,  as  your  friend,  to  go  to  work  without  delay,  and  secure 
new  lodgings,  for  from  what  I  learn,  Mrs.  Kean  intends  to 
have  these  houses  pulled  down  at  once.  As  to  me,  I  am  only 
a  tinker  you  know,  but  I'll  tell  you  what  I  will  do.  I'll  give  a 
fine  new  cooking  stove  to  the  first  one  that  moves,  and  a  bran 
new  bedstead  with  spring  mattress  to  the  second." 

These  words  proved  truly  magic.    The  commotion  which 


ig8  EITHER,  OR. 

came  into  the  crowd  was  much  like  that  of  a  multitude  of 
mice  or  rats  penned  up  in  a  box  and  suddenly  shaken  out. 
Women  ran  here,  and  women  ran  there.  Some  rushed  to  the 
houses  to  secure  the  indispensible  sun  bonnet,  while  others 
were  actually  roused  to  such  a  pitch  of  frenzy  as  to  disregard 
even  this  respect  for  the  goddess  of  fashion,  a  diety  ruling  as 
absolute  in  the  hut  as  in  the  palace.  Richard  laughed  until 
the  tears  rolled  over  his  cheeks.  He  did  not  go,  however,  as 
he  had  at  first  intended,  forseeing  that  the  [decision  would  be 
forthcoming  in  a  very  short  time,  and  that  the  fiat  of  an  im- 
partial umpire  might,  nay  would,  be  necessary  to  determine 
the  merits  of  the  contestants.  While  the  mothers  were  out 
hunting,  the  junior  members  of  the  families  commenced  lug- 
ging the  household  goods  into  the  court ;  showing  conclusively 
that  the  apprehension  of  not  finding  lodgings  had  either  been 
a  fictitious  one,  or  changed  suddenly  into  a  feeling  of  con- 
fidence and  assurance.  Richard  was  still  pondering  this  new 
trait  of  human  nature,  when  a  cart  came  rattling  into  the 
court,  drawn  by  a  rather  extenuated  nag,  and  tenanted  by  our 
crone  and  her  husband,  who  was  the  lucky  owner  of  this  ele- 
gant rig,  plying  the  vocation  of  a  carter.  A  shout  of  indig- 
nation on  the  part  of  the  others  arose,  answered  by  one  of 
defiance  on  the  part  of  the  couple  in  the  cart,  who  hastened 
to  leave  it  with  commendable  speed,  and  began  piling  their 
furniture  in  a  manner  so  reckless  as  to  threaten  destruction  to 
anything  frail  and  perishable,  features  fortunately  unknown  to 
their  belongings.  In  less  than  fifteen  minutes  the  goods  were 
on  board,  and  with  a  whoop  of  delight  and  defiance  the 
worth}-  carter  and  his  spouse  drove  from  the  court.  However, 
there  was  a  second  premium  to  be  earned  ;  so  the  other  people 
continued  to  lug  their  goods  from  the  houses.  By  this  time 
several  of  the  mothers  began  to  return,  showing  in  their 
miens  whether  they  had  been  successful  or  not.  Their  faces 
offered  a  rich  field  for  study,  and  Richard  was  really  curious 
to  see  the  outcome  of  his  experiment.  Suddenly  a  new  idea 
lit  up  the  features  of  one  of  the  dames.  She  whispered  a  few 
words  into  the  ears  of  her  half  grown  daughter  and  then  Rich- 


EITHER,  OR.  i99 

ard  saw  the  entire  bevy  rush  upon  the  pile  of  goods  belonging 
to  them  with  'a  frenzy  both  ludricrous  and  dangerous  to  any- 
thing not  made  of  solid  iron.  There  were  seven  or  eight  in 
the  family,  and  when  each  one  had  loaded  him  or  herself  with 
a  parcel  up  to  or  rather  beyond  their  strength,  the  pile  on  the 
ground  had  disappeared.  They  began  a  hasty  retreat  from 
the  court,  and  the  others,  who,  by  this  time  had  discovered 
the  motive  of  the  schemers,  sent  up  such  a  howl  of  rage  as  to 
create  the  apprehension  of  a  hand  to  hand  encounter.  In  fact, 
it  is  highly  probable,  that  hostilities  would  have  broken  out, 
if  Richard's  presence  had  not  kept  the  beligerents  in  check. 
Nor  was  it  moral  suasion  which  prevented  the  feud,  but  the 
determined  front  he  made  to  the  hostile  factivity.  Collaring 
several  urchins  who  tried  to  trip  the  carriers,  he  jerked  them 
back  and  said  sternly  :  "Hands  off.  Everything  is  fair  in 
war." 

"But  she  hain't  no  house  to  go  to,  she  hain't,"  protested 
one  ol  the  women. 

"That  is  her  business,  not  yours  or  mine.  I  did  not  offer 
the  premiums  for  finding  a  house,  but  for  vacating  these." 

So  the  ingenious  woman  was  allowed  to  carry  off  her 
booty  without  hindrance,  and  the  others  were  too  good  na- 
tured  to  indulge  long  in  an  indignation  so  unfair  and  so  use- 
less. However,  when  some  of  the  women  saw  that  they  had 
failed  in  securing  the  coveted  prize,  they  made  mien  to  carry 
the  furniture  back  to  the  premises.  This  provoked  Richard, 
who  had  made  continuous  studies  of  the  traits  of  these  people. 
He  had  prevented  a  fight,  but  he  had  also  seen  that  only  his 
peremptory  "beware,"  had  hindered  it.  Nor  did  he  doubt 
that  the  feud  would'  have  been  both  relentless  and  severe, 
showing  the  brutality  of  these  untutored  creatures  which  rank 
only  a  few  steps  above  the  savage  in  the  gratification  of  their 
passions.  Secondly  he  had  discovered  that  only  material 
benefits  were  capable  of  inducing  mental  and  subsequently 
physical  exertions,  while  stubborness  and  spitefulness  were 
very  apt  to  follow  disappointment. 


2oo  EITHER,  OR. 

"Hallo  !"  he  cried,  loud  enough  to  attract  universal  at- 
tention. "I  see  some  of  you  are  carrying  your  duds  back  to 
the  house.  Of  course,  you  can  do  as  you  please  and  you 
might  say  that  it  isn't  my  business ;  but  you  may  rest  assured 
that*I$may  report  the  names  of  those  that  do  to  Mrs.  Kean, 
■who  will  be  very  apt  to  exclude  them  from  the  list  of  tenants 
for  the  new  houses" 

He  turned  to  go,  but  was  stopped  by  the  guilty  parties 
who  assured  him  that  they  had  only  meant  to  put  the  furniture 
back  to  keep  it  from  spoiling  in  the  sun,  and  that  they  would 
leave  as  soon  as  they  had  found  a  shelter.  On  examination 
Richard  found  that  some  of  these  families  were  without  a 
penny,  and  could  actually  not  raise  enough  money  to  pay  the 
drayman.     So  he  said  : 

"I  know  it  is  foolish  in  me  to  strengthen  your  improvi- 
dence in  this  manner,  but  as  I  have  been  instrumental  in 
depriving  you  of  your  homes,  I'll  help  you  moving.  My 
friend,  the  grocer  has  a  horse  and  spring  wagon  which  I  can 
and  will  borrow,  to  move  those  of  you  who  can  and  will  secure 
lodgings  right  away." 

With  these  words  he  left  them,  declining  with  something 
like  annoyance  the  profuse  exclamation  of  gratitude  they 
showered  upon  him.  As  he  passed  the  shop  of  Mr.  Stitch,  that 
individual  stopped  him,  saying  : 

"Say,  Mr.  Tinker,  hain't  you  got  some  more  of  those 
dokiments?  My  neighbors  have  read  them  all  to  pieces,  and 
are  clamoring  for  more." 

"Glad  to  hear  it.  Here  is  all  I  have  with  me.  When 
they  are  gone  you  can  have  more." 

"Don't  be  in  a  rush,  now,  friend.  I  want  to  ask  a  ques- 
tion or  two." 

"Fire  away,  then.'' 

"Well,  you  see  we  have  talked  the  matter  over,  and  come 
to  the  concloosion    that    your    ideas   ain't  so  very  bad.  that  it 


EITHER,  OR.  201 

would  be  well  for  us  to  form  a  branch  order.  What  do  you 
say  to  that?" 

"It  is  a  capital  idea;  but  I  knew  you  would  come  to  that 
sooner  or  later." 

"How  did  you  know,  now  ?  When  you  gave  me  these 
papers,  I  hadn't  any  more  idea  of  doing  such  a  thing  than  to 
fly  to  the  moon." 

"How  I  knew  ?     Because  your  head  is  level,  that's  why." 

We  all  have  our  share  of  vanity,  a  very  good  and  proper 
thing  to  have  by  the  way,  as  vanity  makes  us  aim  to  be  at 
betterment  and  improvement.  Mr.  Stitch  was  pleased  to  see 
so  desirable  a  quantity  of  his  head  acknowledged  by  a  stranger 
andwenton:  "Now  the  question  arises,  will  this  thing  be 
costly?  I  ain't  a  miser,  you  must  know;  but  business  is  dull, 
and  none  of  us  have  any  money  to  throw  away  just  now." 

"I  know.  Well,  there  need  be  no  expenses  at  the  start. 
You  might  meet  at  the  houses  of  the  members  in  turn, 
and — " 

"I  hardly  think  that  would  do.  I  feel  sure  that  we'll  com- 
mence with  fifty  members  and  have  no  doubt  that  that  num- 
ber will  be  doubled  as  soon  as  we  are  fairly  organized." 

"Yon  surprise  and  gladden  me,  Mr.  Stitch.  Well,  in  that 
case,  we'll  have  to  think  of  something  else.  To  tell  you  in 
confidence:  I  have  a  wealthy  patron,  who  shares  these  views, 
and  will  do  much  to  advance  them.  I'll  sound  him  on  the 
question  of  buying  or  renting  some  big  hall,  and  report  the 
next  time  I  meet  you.     Farewell." 

This  was  news  indeed.  Fifty  members  from  the  start, 
and  probably  small  merchants  or  master  mechanics,  that  is, 
the  most  conservative  of  the  element  of  the  nation.  If  they 
opened  their  eyes  and  minds  to  truth,  what  might  be  expected 
from  the  more  radical  working  men?  Truly,  this  was  good 
news.  But  how  should  he  meet  these  demands?  As  yet  his 
means  were  sufficient  for  all  emergencies,  but  if  the  cause 
grew  at  this  rate  it  would  not  take  many  months  to  ebb  the 
treasury.  He  foresaw  the  necessity  of  taxing  the  adherents 
of  the  new  gospel  at  an  early  date.     Nor    would   this    be    dif- 


202  EITHER.  OR. 

ficult  after  the  movement  was  fairly  under  way,  and  the  en- 
thusiasm of  number  and  success  had  been  produced.  At  pres- 
ent, however,  he  would  have  to  subsidize  the  newly  fledged 
societies  and  was  still  pondering  on  the  best  mode  of  aiding 
them  when  he  reached  the  grocery.  Dinner  was  ready  to  be 
placed  upon  the  table,  and  on  Richard's  arrival,  Sophie  called 
the  members  of  the  household  to  the  dining  room.  These 
meals  served  as  informal  meetings,  at  which  the  various  com- 
mittees made  their  reports,  offered  suggestions  or  debated 
questions.  This  time  Richard  gave  a  graphic  description  of 
the  scenes  in  Dennis  Court,  which  caused  much  merriment, 
and  also  some  philosophical  deductions.  Next  our  friend 
reported  the  communications  of  the  tailor,  which  were  received 
with  approbation  and  created  considerable  enthusiasm.  When 
Richard  said:  "Now,  what  had  we  better  do  in  this  matter? 
That  is,  how  can  we  best  secure  a  hall,  where  this  order  and 
many  others  likely  to  spring  into  existence  in  the  next  months, 
may  assemble?" 

Duncan  replied,  "I  think  I  know.  Did  you  notice  the 
large  three  story  building  on  Bloome  street,  corner  of 
thirteenth  ?" 

"Exactly.  It  was  built  by  a  socialistic  association  to 
which  I  belonged,  and  whose  enthusiasm  was  greater  than  its 
prudence  or  its  purse.  The  association  became  bankrupt  and 
the  building  was  taken  by  a  bank  in  satisfaction  of  a  mort- 
gage. It  is  not  adapted  for  business  or  lodgings,  and  the  bank, 
therefore,  desirous  of  disposing  of  the  property." 

"Do  you  know  its  value?" 

"I  know  its  cost,  which  is  $40,000,  not  including  the  lot 
which  cost  our  association  five  thousand  more.  I  understand 
the  bank  lent  $35,000  on  the  property  and  will  take  that  sum 
for  it." 

"Well,  let  us  investigate  the  matter.  The  building  is 
sufficiently  central  and  large  enough  to  serve  as  a  gymnasium, 
armory,  &c  ,  &c." 

"Armory.      Why,  Richard,  you  intend  playing  soldier?" 

It  was  Mrs.    Duncan    who  asked  this  question.     Richard 


EITHER,  OR.  203 

hesitated  a  moment,  then  said :  "Alice,  I  need;not  tell  you  that 
a  prudent  general  keeps  his  guns  and  ammunition  in  order, 
not  to  provoke  war,  but  to  prevent  it.  I  will  not  conceal  from 
you  the  necessities  of  preparing  hostile  attacks  on  the  part  of 
our  adversaries.  They  even  now  talk  of  the  insufficiency  of 
our  military  forces,  the  unreliability  of  the  militia  and  the 
necessity  of  subduing  socialistic  ideas  by  the  bayonet.  It  is 
therefore  my  intention  to  organize  our  forces  and  drill  them 
to  a  state  of  efficiency.  In  that  way,  and  that  way  alone,  can 
we  foil  the  intrigues  of  our  foes,  and  preserve  peace  and  pros- 
perity in  the  nation."  Alice  nodded,  her  intelligence  showing 
her  the  wisdom  of  Richard's  preparations.  Our  friend  con- 
tinued: "I  have  promised  my  Irish  clients  to  move  them  this 
afternoon,  for  which  purpose  I  want  to  borrow  your  wagon, 
Gottlieb.  Duncan  is  too  busy  with  his  umbrella  covers,  to  loaf, 
so  we  have  only  Alice  to  fall  back  upon." 

"Fall  back  upon?"  she  inquired  with  well  feigned  alarm. 

"Fall  gracefully,  then  Richard,  for  I  have  not  the  con- 
stitution of  your  clients  of  Dennis  Court." 

"I  learned  the  art  of  dancing,  Alice,  so  fear  nothing. 
Besides,  the  work  in  store  for  you  is  light  and  genteel.  In- 
deed Mrs.  Kean's  carriage  is  at  your  disposal  to  execute  it. 
Sophie  says  that  she  complains  of  her  horses  getting  too  wild 
from  too  much  oats  and  little  work.  So,  if  you  will  go  to  the 
livery  stable  and  order  Mrs.  Kean's  carriage  to  be  gotten 
ready,  you  can  drive  down  town  to  execute  your  mission." 

"That  is  tempting.       But  what  am  I  to  do  down  town?  " 

"Simply  to  call  at  the  bank  and  ascertain  whether  the 
hall  in  question  is  still  for  sale,  and,  if  so,  at  what  price." 

"Can't  Sophie  go  with  me?  I  know  she  would  like  the 
drive." 

"Of  course,  she  and  Fay.     Will  you  go?  " 

"Certainly  and  with  pleasure;  but  where    is  the  bank5  " 

Duncan  gave  the  necessary  information,  and  then  all  dis- 
persed to  their  afternoon's  work.  When  Richard  reached  the 
Court  with  his  vehicle,  he  found  several  parties  ready  to  re- 
move to  the  quarter  they  had  secured.      As  stated  before  the 


204  EITHER,  OR. 

possessions  of  these  poor  people  were  scant  and  a  very  few 
hours  sufficed  to  domicile  the  entire  population  in  their  new 
lodgings.  Towards  evening  Mr.  Wur/.el  appeared,  sent  by 
Mrs.  Kean  to  survey  the  premises  and  give  his  advice  to  the 
mode  of  remodeling  the  court.  These  European  engineers- 
receive  a  much  more  general  education  than  those  of  Oceiden- 
tia,  and  Richard  had,  therefore,  no  doubts  that  Wurzel  would 
be  able  to  plan  and  superintend  the  rebuilding  of  the  court. 
When  he  arrived  Richard  had  finished  his  work,  and  on  the 
invitation  of  the  engineer,  accompanied  him  all  over  the 
premises.  On  exact  measurement  the  length  of  Dennis  Court 
proved  to  be  one  hundred  and  sixty  feet,  while  its  entire  width 
was  one  hundred  and  thirty.  In  obedience  to  Mrs.  Kean's 
wishes  Wurzel  began  with  the  sewers,  which  he  soon  declared 
as  totally  insufficient  and  miserably  constructed. 

"I  do  not  see  where  the  city  officials  had  their  eyes  when 
they  accepted  these  sewers.'" 

"I  do.  They  had  them  in  their  pockets  to  enjoy  the 
eagles  slipped  there  by  interested  contractors." 

"You  are  probably  right.  Well,  they  must  be  rebuilt^ 
Mr.  Yelder  does  not  want  to  see  his  tenants  decimated  by 
diphtheria  one  of  these  days.  These  Irish  must  be  tough,  or 
they  couldn't  have  stood  it  so  long.  It  will  be  a  heavy  bill  to- 
foot,  though." 

"I  don't  think  Mr.  Yelder  will  mind  that." 

''Of  course  he  won't;  but  he  has  many  irons  in  the  fire 
you  know,  so  we  must  be  as  economical  as  we  can,  in  con- 
sistency with  decency." 

Next  the  buildings  were  examined.  They  consisted  of 
brick,  all  of  which  could  be  used  a  second  time  when 
cleaned. 

"Here  is  a  job  for  all  these  Paddies,"  said  Richard,  with  a 
smile. 

"Yes,  Mrs.  Kean  has  ordered  me  to  employ  them  to  the 
best  of  their  and  my  ability.  Supposing  you  act  as  mediator?' 
You    have    an    excellent    knack    of    treating   these    people." 

Richard  consented    and  was  on  the  point  of  informing  his 


EITHER,  OR.  205 

•clients  of  their  good  fortune  when  two  woman  approached 
him,  hanging  their  heads  and  acting  a  difference  totally 
foreign  to  their  nature.  Richard  looked  at  them  inquiringly, 
saying  merely:  "Well,  my  ladies?" 

Then  one  pretended  to  gather  courage,  saying:  "Misther 
Brown,  we  two  be  the  ones  as  gained — gained  the  premises 
you  know?" 

"The  what?" 

"The  stove  and  the  bedstead,  you  know." 

"Ah,  yes.  And  you  would  like  to  have  them  now  would 
you?" 

"Well,  we  is  fixhf  up  the  new  lodgings  loike,  and  ef  it 
suits  your  honor — " 

"Of  course  it  does.     Jump  in  girls." 

The  girls  exchanged  one  glance  of  delight,  then  of  exultation 
with  their  less  lucky  sisters  and  were  whirled  away  to  select 
the  one  a  stove,  the  other  a  fancy  bedstead,  in  accordance 
with  their  own  and  individual  tastes.  We  need  hardly  add 
that  the  bedstead  was  of  a  fierv  red,  and  the  stove  of  a  com- 
pany's capacity,  the  happy  owner  being  the  mother  of  sixteen 
healthy  children,  possessed  of  an  astonishing  capacity  for  stor- 
ing eatables. 

When  Richard  returned  to  Dennis  Court,  the  male  portion 
of  the  former  tenants  had  gathered  in  groups  before  the  doors. 
Working  hours  were  nearly  over,  and  curiosity  had  induced 
them  to  quit  a  little  before  the  usual  time.  When  Richard 
walked  up  to  Mr.  Wur/.el,  who  was  awaiting  his  return,  the 
men  crowded  around  them  eager  to  hear  what  kind  of  a  job 
they  might  expect.  Seeing  his  friend  Murphy  among  them. 
Richard  said:  "Good  evening,  Jim,  I  am  glad  to  see  you 
again.     Are  you  ready  to  commence  work  to-morrow?" 

"And  shure,  I  be,  Misther  Brown.  May  I  be  so  bold  as 
to  ask  what  wurk  ye  have  for  the  loike  of  me?" 

"Yes,  Jim.  We  want  you  and  your  friends  to  pull  down 
the  old  houses,  and  then  clean  the  bricks." 

"And  what  is  it,  a  man  can  earn  that  wav.  surr?" 


206  EITHER,  OR. 

"I  hardly  know,  Jim.  What  do  you  generally  earn  a  day 
when  engaged  in  such  work?" 

"A  dollar  and  a  half  to  a  dollar,  seventy-five." 

"That  seems  reasonable  enough.  Well,  Mrs.  Kean  is  a 
very  fair-minded  lady  and  will  do  what  is  right.  But  she  ex- 
pects you  to  do  your  duty  as  well.  So  you  see  it  rests  with 
you  to  get  paying  work  for  quite  a  while.  Are  all  you  gen- 
tlemen ready  to  commence  work  to-morrow  morning  at  $1.75 
per  day  ? ' ' 

"We  be,  suit,"  was  the  unanimous  reply. 

"Very  well,  then.  Mr.  Wurzel  is  going  to  boss  this  job 
for  Mrs.  Kean,  but  as  he  does  not  speak  your  language  quite 
fluently  as  I,  he  has  requested  me  to  engage  you  for  him.  I 
want  you  to  understand  that  you  are  here  on  your  good 
behavior.  We  will  pay  first-class  wages  for  good  work,  but 
shall  tolerate  neither  idleness  nor  drunkenness.  Mr.  Wurzel 
is  fully  able  to  manage  the  job,  but  I  will  add  that  I  shall  be 
around  every  day,  and  that  I  am  prepared  to  back  any  order 
he  may  see  proper  to  issue." 

On  the  following  morning  the  dismantling  of  the  houses 
began.  The  rubbish  was  at  once  carted  away,  and  the  wood 
given  to  the  children  of  the  workers,  who  carried  it  off  for  fire 
wood.  The  bricks  were  cleaned  and  piled  up  in  the  yard, 
leaving  sufficient  room  to  pass  by.  When  all  the  debris  had 
been  removed,  Mrs.  Kean  visited  the  vacant  lot  and  handed 
Mr.  Wurzel  the  plans  and  specifications  he  had  drawn  up  for 
her  inspection,  saying : 

"I  feel  sure  that  they  would  have  Mr.  Velder's  approval 
so  you  may  proceed." 

Accordingly,  the  engineer  caused  his  force  to  excavate 
the  soil  at  the  right  and  left  extremities  of  the  lot,  going  to 
nearly  the  depth  of  the  sewers  of  the  neighboring  streets. 
Next  he  constructed  a  sewer  in  these  trenches,  giving  it  suf- 
ficient fall  for  drainage. 

These  sewers  were  prolonged  into  the  main  sewer,  and 
the  closets  themselves  provided  with  water  and  all  modern 
improvements,  to  deprive  the  tenants  of  every  excuse  of  fall- 


EITHER,  OR.  207 

ing  back  into  their  former  filthy  habits.  Smaller  sewers  were 
laid  from  every  kitchen  to  the  larger  ones  and  provided  with 
the  same  water  pressure  and  other  improvements,  Richard 
being  particularly  anxious  to  wean  his  proteges  from  habits 
which  had  become  a  second  nature,  and  therefore  clung  to 
them  as  tightly  as  their  skin.  When  this  underground  work 
was  done,  Wurzel  began  the  construction  of  dry  and  spacious 
cellars,  in  front  of  which  a  coal  vault  was  erected,  allowing 
this  useful  mineral  to  be  shoveled  in  from  the  front.  The  new 
houses  were  placed  fully  ten  feet  further  back  than  the  old 
ones,  making  the  court  in  front  of  them  thirty-five  feet  wide. 
There  were  twelve  in  all,  six  on  each  side,  placed  in  pairs, 
with  a  three  foot  walk  between  them.  In  that  way  light  and 
air  had  free  access  on  all  sides,  making  the  houses  not  only 
more  cheerful,  but  more  healthful.  They  consisted  of  two 
stories,  and  contained  six  rooms  each.  As  they  possessed  a 
depth  of  forty  feet,  ample  space  was  left  behind  them  for  a 
little  garden  or  at  least  court,  according  to  the  taste  of  the  in- 
mates. The  far  end  was  closed  by  a  solid  two-story  brick 
building,  running  the  entire  width,  but  containing  an  arched 
gateway  in  the  center,  to  mediate  the  access  to  the  street  be- 
yond. This  building  was  intended  for  various  purposes.  Both 
wings  contained  spacious  basements,  in  one  of  which  a  boiler 
was  placed  to  create  steam.  The  left  wing  was  fitted  up  lor  a 
laundry,  with  all  modern  improvements  and  appliances,  and 
the  right  one,  for  a  public  kitchen,  that  is,  a  place  where 
meals  could  be  secured,  but  not  eaten.  Richard  had  discussed 
his  intentions  with  Mrs.  Kean  in  all  their  bearings,  and  not 
only  secured  in  her  an  able,  but  truty  enthusiastic  executrix 
of  his  plans.  She  called  frequently  at  the  Court  while  the 
houses  were  in  course  of  construction,  and  also  at  the  tem- 
porary homes  of  her  future  clients.  In  this  way  she  became 
thoroughly  familiar,  not  only  with  the  premises,  but  with  the 
people.  This  familiarity  enabled  her  to  choose  from  the  wo- 
men those  qualified  and  inclined  to  assist  her  in  her  work  of 
reformation.  She  found  in  Mrs.  Murphy  a  woman  of  superior 
character   and   intelligence.     It   was   wonderful   to    see    the 


208  EITHER,  OR. 

change  which  kindness  and  firmness  combined  had  wrought 
in  her  husband  and,  through  him,  in  her.  He  was  no  longer 
the  sot  that  had  rolled  in  the  gutter  day  after  day,  but  worked 
with  a  zest  highly  grateful  to  his  and  our  friend.  Richard 
had  looked  for  an  occasional  relapse,  and  there  were  indeed 
moments  of  terrible  temptation.  At  such  moments  Jim  pur- 
sued the  wise  policy  of  seeking  the  aid  of  Richard,  who  was 
too  wise  to  put  him  off  with  mere  advice.  He  took  him  on 
such  occasions  to  Mrs.  Murphy,  saying:  "Here  is  Jim,  thirsty 
as  a  louse.  Give  him  a  good  horn.  He  has  been  a  good  fel- 
low, and  deserves  a  little  recreation.  And  now,  Mrs.  Murphy, 
you  take  him  for  a  ride  in  the  country,  on  the  railway;  I'll 
foot  the  bill."  And  off  the  two  toted,  blessing  him  both  aloud 
and  in  their  hearts  always  returning  with  new  hopes  and  new 
strength  to  fight  the  battle  of  life,  and  with  their  own  pas- 
sions. We  may  as  well  state  here,  that  when  the  Court  was 
finished  and  ready  to  receive  its  tenants,  Jim  was  appointed 
engineer  and  fireman,  a  trust  which  did  not  only  make  him 
proud,  but  gave  him  that  self  reliance  needed  to  complete  his 
reform.  True,  he  occasionally  went  to  Mother  Murphy  for  a 
little  eye  opener,  as  he  called  it,  but  a  more  strictly  temperate 
man  than  Jim  Murphy  could  not  be  found  on  the  premises. 
Jim  had  also  the  chance  of  keeping  the  Court  in  trim,  and  to 
prevent  the  mischievous  urchins  from  committing  nuisance. 
We  know  that  they  stood  in  awe  of  him,  but  the  bully  had 
disappeared  with  the  drunkard,  and  though  he  was  strict  in 
the  discharge  of  his  duty,  he  displayed  a  gentleness  of  temper 
and  manners  marvelous  to  those  who  had  known  him  before. 
To  Mrs.  Murphy,  on  the  other  hand,  was  given  the  super- 
vision of  the  laundry.  Mrs.  Kean  learned  that  she  had  for- 
merly worked  long  and  successfully  in  similar  establishments, 
and  finding  her  not  only  tidy  and  scrupulous  in  her  work,  but 
also  possessed  of  the  needful  authority  to  manage  inferiors  in 
rank,  had  resolved  to  make  her  superintendent  of  the  new 
establishment.  In  anticipation  of  the  new  industry,  Mrs. 
Kean  had  selected  a  dozen  volunteers  from  the  female  forces 
of  the  Court  and  subjected  them  to  a  thorough  training  of 


EITHER.  OR.  209 

their  future  duties.  They  were  sent  to  other  laundries,  on 
small  pay,  or  as  mere  supernumeraries,  Mrs.  Kean,  meanwhile, 
supplying  their  wants.  When  the  laundry  opened,  most  of 
them  were  ready  for  efficient  work,  and  those  lacking  in  skill 
at  that  time,  were  given  a  chance  to  perfect  themselves.  The 
laundry  soon  won,  or  rather  rightfully  earned,  the  reputation 
of  doing  good  work  at  reasonable  rates,  thus  securing  a  trade 
which  kept  everybody  astir,  and  soon  taxed  it  to  its  utmost 
capacity.  The  same  thing  can  be  said  of  the  public  kitchen. 
At  first,  Mrs.  Kean  had  been  at  a  loss  as  to  a  proper  head  for 
this  establishment,  knowing  full  well  that  both  skill  in  the 
art  of  cookery  and  the  utmost  cleanliness  are  necessary  to 
gain  and  keep  the  confidence  of  the  public.  She  knew  full 
well  that  the  ladies  of  Dennis  Court  excelled  in  neither  of 
these  virtues,  and  was  therefore  compelled  to  look  outside  for 
a  proper  head.  It  was  then  that  Richard  learned  by  incident, 
that  the  parents  of  Alice  had  formerly  kept  a  restaurant,  and 
that  she  had  aided  in  the  kitchen  for  several  years.  When 
Richard  broached  the  subject  of  the  kitchen,  and  asked  her 
whethef  she  felt  inclined  to  assume  the  management  of  the 
establishment,  she  replied  with  a  voice  half  choked  with  emo- 
tion :  "Richard,  what  I  have  I  owe  to  you.  You  know  I 
would  lay  down  my  life  for  you,  How,  then,  can  you  doubt 
that  I  will  aid  you,  and  aid  you  cheerfully  in  your  work?  " 

He  made  a  deprecating  gesture,  saying:  "Alice,  you 
overestimate  the  little  service  I  was  fortunate  enough  to  ren- 
der you.  I  do  not  wish  you  to  put  your  consent  on  this  basis. 
It  is  hard  work,  and  if  your  inclination  does  not  run  that  way 
I  want  you  to  tell  me." 

"But  it  does  run  that  way,  Richard,  and  I  shall  be  only  too 
glad  to  aid  the  cause  in  this  manner.  However,  I  am  a  little 
rusty  in  the  culinary  art,  and  would  like  to  brush  up  in  the 
kitchen  of  some  hotel  or  restaurant,  if  you  can  procure  such 
a  chance  for  me." 

"If  I  cannot,  Mrs.  Kean  can  and  will,  so  that  is  settled." 
Alice  did  serve  her  apprenticeship,  and  when  the  kitchen 
opened,    was   fully  prepared    to    manage    it.     Half    a    dozen 


210  EITHER,  OR. 

maidens  of  the  court  had  been  placed  under  discipline  at  the 
same  time,  and  acquitted  themselves  very  creditably  in  the 
ruder  and  less  complicated  branches  of  cookery,  aiding  their 
superintendent  so  ably,  as  to  assist  materially  in  establishing 
the  reputation  of  the  kitchen  on  a  solid  and  enviable  basis. 
Alice  moved  with  little  Fay  into  a  comfortable  room  over  the 
archway  and  found  that  sweet  and  desirable  satisfaction  which 
always  arises  from  a  faithful  performance  of  our  duties.  Some- 
times she  was  a  little  homesick  for  her  absent  husband;  but 
took  great  comfort  in  his  numerous  letters  and  the  certainty 
of  an  early  reunion. 

And  as  to  the  tenants  of  Dennis  Court.  How  did  they 
proceed?  Did  they  all  at  once  become  model  men,  women 
and  children?  Of  course  not.  Anybody  acquainted  with 
human  nature,  would  give  us  the  lie  for  such  an  assertion. 
Indeed,  the}'  were  far  from  being  perfect,  and  often  taxed  the 
patience  and  temper  of  their  patrons  to  the  utmost.  Richard 
saw  very  soon  that  they  could  not  be  left  to  themselves,  with- 
out the  certainty  of  sinking  back  into  their  former  sloth  and 
untidiness.  So  Richard  and  his  aunt  put  their  heads  together, 
and,  after  due  deliberation  entered  upon  the  following  course. 
When  the  houses  were  finished  Mrs.  Kean  called  a  meeting  of 
her  future  tenants  to  the  large  room  above  the  kitchen.  We 
have  forgotten  to  state  that  this  room  was  provided  with  a 
small  platform  at  one  end,  and  quite  a  number  of  desks  and 
benches  at  the  other,  while  the  center  contained  a  large  table, 
and  the  walls,  shelves  on  which  books  of  useful  information 
were  placed  for  the  use  of  any  one,  inclined  to  visit  the  room. 
A  number  of  periodicals  was  placed  on  the  tables,  free  to  such 
visitors,  nor  was  there  any  condition  coupled  with  the  admit- 
tance, excepting  that  of  a  cleanly  appearance  and  a  civil  be- 
havior. Richard  intended  to  introduce  lectures  in  the  win- 
ter, but  did  not  deem  it  wise  to  push  these  features  too  rapidly, 
knowing  well  that  too  much  of  a  good  thing  is  apt  to  create 
nausea,  especially  in  case  of  chronic  mental  dyspepsia. 

When,  on  the  evening  of  the  meeting,  the  seats  and 
benches  of  the  reading  room    had   been    filled  to  overflowing, 


EITHER,  OR.  211 

Mrs.  Kean  arose  and  addressed  her  clients  in  this  characteristic 
manner: 

Dear  Friends :  In  giving  yon  this  title,  I  do  not  mean 
an  empty  sound,  a  mere  formality,  but  the  earnest,  sober  truth. 
I  consider  you  my  friends  and  shall  prove  to  you,  if  I  have 
not  proved  it  already  that  I  am,  and  shall  continue  to  be  your 
friend.  With  the  aid,  and  in  the  name  of  Mr.  Yelder  I  have 
built  for  you  comfortable  homes,  which  you  can  occupy  as 
soon  as  you  sign  a  contract,  which  I  shall  submit  to  you  to- 
morrow in  this  room.  The  shanties  which  filled  this  court 
only  a  few  months  ago  were  calculated  to  beget  habits  of  filth 
and  untidiness,  habits  conducive  to  physical  illness  and  moral 
degradation.  While  I  admit  that  the  condition  of  your  former 
homes  made  such  habits  excusable,  though  hardly  justifiable, 
I  am  determined  that  they  shall  not  be  practiced  in  the  new 
cottages  I  have  erected  for  you.  You  find  a  clause  in  your 
contract,  authorizing  me  to  enter  your  premises  at  my  pleas- 
ure, though  at  seasonable  hours,  of  course,  to  inspect  them 
and  to  convince  myself  that  they  have  not  been  defaced  or 
soiled  in  an  unbecoming  manner.  Your  contract,  further- 
more, authorizes  me  to  evict  you  on  short  notice  if  I  find  you 
guilt}-  of  such  misdemeanors  as  I  mentioned.  I  am  aware 
that  these  are  rather  summary  powers,  but  experience  has 
convinced  me  of  their  necessity,  while,  on  the  other  hand,  my 
conduct  must  have  convinced  you  that  I  have  your  own  in- 
terest, and  nothing  but  this  interest  in  view,  in  making  and 
enforcing  them.  Besides,  you  are  free  agents  in  this  respect, 
and  can  refuse  my  cottages  and  my  contracts  if  you  see 
proper.  You  are  aware  that  a  laundry  has  been  established 
in  the  south  wing  of  this  building.  It  shall  be  the  privilege 
of  the  tenants  of  Dennis  Court,  to  get  their  washing  done 
there  at  mere  nominal  rate,  to  be  fixed  by  myself.  I  need  not 
say  that  this  privilege  must  not  be  abused  at  the  peril  of  los- 
ing it  at  once  and  certainly.  You  are  also  aware  that  a  pub- 
lic kitchen  wTill  be  opened  in  the  basement  and  ground  floor  of 
this  wing.  Here,  again,  you  have  the  privilege  of  purchasing 
superior  food  at  much  lower   rates  than  you  could  prepare  it 


212  EITHER,  OR. 

yourselves.  I  need  not  add  that  this  franchise  also  is  coupled 
with  conditions,  whose  violation  will  result  in  their  sudden 
withdrawal.  A  bath-room  has  been  erected  in  the  other  wing 
which  is  at  your  service  free  of  charge.  To  prevent  quarrel- 
ing a  permit  must  be  secured  from  Mrs.  Murphy,  the  superin- 
tendent of  the  laundry,  who  is  instructed  to  issue  only  one  at 
a  time,  and  only  from  six  in  the  morning  to  eight  in  the  even- 
ing. No  one  is  allowed  to  use  the  bath  more  than  once  a  day, 
or  longer  than  fifteen  minutes.  Any  complaint  made  to  me 
will  certainly  lead  to  the  withdrawal  of  this  valuable  privilege. 
In  conclusion  let  me  say  that  Mr.  Velder  has  opened  this 
pleasant  reading  room  for  his  tenants  and  such  of  their  neigh- 
bors as  will  comply  with  his  conditions.  No  book  or  periodical 
must  be  taken  from  the  room.  Visitors  must  be  cleanly 
dressed  and  observe  a  civil  behavior.  The  room  will  be  closed 
at  ten  p.  m.,  and  no  one  will  be  permitted  to  remain  after  that 
time.  You  are  all  aware  that  the  rent  of  the  houses  has  been 
placed  at  the  low  sum  of  eight  dollars.  Mr.  Velder  expects  a 
prompt  remission  of  this  sum,  not  for  his  own  benefit,  but 
that  of  his  clients,  which  are  scattered  over  the  entire  country, 
and  would  suffer  by  your  remissness.  A  failure  to  pay  the 
rent  in  two  consecutive  months  will  be  surely  followed  by  the 
eviction  of  the  tenant,  except  in  cases  of  sickness  which  must 
be  reported  to  me  for  decision.  Before  saying  good  night  to 
you,  I  will  repeat,  that  my  government,  though  fraternal,  will 
be  a  strict  one,  and  its  provisions  carried  out  in  letter  and  in 
spirit.  Trusting  that  nothing  will  occur  to  mar  the  cordial 
relations  which  you  and  I  sustain  ;   I  bid  you  good  night." 

There  was  a  good  deal  of  jeering  on  the  part  of  outsiders 
the  next  morning,  but  all  the  tenants  of  the  court  signed  their 
contract  and  moved  into  their  comfortable  quarters  to  the 
envy  of  the  very  ones  who  had  jeered  them. 


EITHER,  OR.  213 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE    BALL   KEEPS    ROLLING. 

We  have  anticipated  the  development  of  Dennis  Court, 
and  have  now  to  retrace  our  steps,  to  see  what  has  become  of 
Duncan  and  the  other  inmates  of  the  grocery.  The  reader 
saw  Alice  and  Sophie  start  on  their  drive  to  the  bank,  and  is 
probably  curious  to  learn  the  result  of  their  errand.  Well,  in 
the  evening  they  reported  to  Richard,  and  this  is  what  he 
learned  :  The  bank  would  take  $35,000,  with  interest  on  that 
sum  for  one  year,  at  six  per  cent.,  provided  half  the  money 
was  paid  down.  They  would  throw  off  the  interest,  it  the 
entire  sum  was  paid  cash. 

"Can  one  see  the  building?" 

"I  anticipated  such  a  question,  and  put  it  to  the  clerk. 
He  gave  me  the  key  with  the  request  of  returning  it  to-mor- 
row evening." 

"Is  the  building  empty?" 

"Only  a  few  pieces  of  furniture  are  stored  there,  belong- 
ing to  the  bank,  and  for  sale  also." 

"Well,  let  us  all  go  in  the  morning  and  take  a  look  at 
things.  I  doubt  the  wisdom  of  giving  Charley  a  holiday,  but 
as  he  is  familiar  with  this  socialistic  den,  we  will  have  to  let 
him  off,  I  reckon." 

So,  on  the  following  morning,  all  except  Gottlieb  took 
the  street  car  for  Bloome  and  Thirtieth  streets,  and  got  there 
half  an  hour  later.  The  key  grated  in  the  rusty  lock,  show- 
ing that  the  building  had  not  been  used  for  quite  a  while.  The 
appearance  of  things  inside  confirmed  this  view.  Everything 
was  covered  with  dust,  to  the  disgust  of  the  ladies  and  the 
detriment  of  their  dresses,  which  trailed  in  the  dust  and  raised 
it  in  clouds.  First  they  examined  the  extensive  pavement, 
which  contained  a  dilapidated  gymnasium,  a  number  of  brok- 
en chairs  and  benches,  and  piles  of  rubbish  generally.  There 
was  also  a  furnace,  which,  at  one  time,  had  probably  heated 
the  whole  building,  but  now  showed  the  tooth  of  time  as 
much   as   everything   else.     Next   the   ground   floor  was  ex- 


2i4  KITH KR,  OR. 

plorecl.  They  found  more  broken  chairs,  tables  limping  on 
three  legs,  shattered  lamp  chimneys,  broken  beer  glasses, 
and  even  two  or  three  mirror  frames.  One  of  the  rooms 
seemed  to  have  served  as  a  bar  room,  for  they  noticed  a  little 
bar,  with  a  moldy  keg  behind  it  and  two  or  three  decanters 
on  the  side  board  Dust,  dust,  everywhere,  forming  an  "en- 
semble" calculated  to  depress  the  spirit  and  to  remind  one 
strongly  of  the  perishableness  of  mortals  and  their  affairs. 

A  wide  and  massive  stairway  led  to  the  second  floor, 
causing  Richard  to  remark  :  "The  building  is  certainly  strong 
and  substantial,  and  has  not  suffered  from  the  neglect  mani- 
fest everywhere." 

"No,  the  building  is  all  right,  and  will  require  hardly  any 
repairs,  unless  the  roof  is  leaky.  Isn't  there  lots  of  room, 
though?" 

"Yes,  these  apartments  are  very  spacious,  and  will  suffice 
for  years  to  come." 

"Then  you  would  advise  its  purchase  ?" 

"I  shall  report  favorably,  unless  a  further  examination 
shows  some  flaw.  Ah,  here  is  the  way  to  the  third  floor. 
Whew  !  What  a  dust.  Won't  you  ladies  be  kind  enough  to 
proceed  and  sweep  a  little  with  your  trains?" 

The  ladies  politely,  but  fiimly  declined,  .^o  Richard  and 
Charles  had  to  bear  the  brunt  of  the  assault,  but  were  rewarded 
for  their  trouble,  when  on  reaching  the  top  of  the  stairway, 
they  entered  a  magnificent  hall  extending  over  the  entire 
building  and  impressing  the  spectator  by  its  very  simplicity. 
At  the  far  end  they  perceived  a  sort  of  stage,  provided  with 
scenes  and  other  theatrical  contrivances,  making  dramatic 
performances  not  only  possible,  but  easy.  The  auditorium 
was  supplied  with  seats,  raising  gradually  in  height  and 
allowing  a  fair  view  of  the  stage.  A  handsome  and  roomy 
gallery  ran  along  three  sides  and  together  with  the  seats  be- 
low was  capable  of  accommodatiug  fully  a  thousand  persons. 

"Why,  this  is  grand,"  Richard  exclaimed  enthusiastically. 

"I  wasn't  prepared  for  anything  half  so  grand." 


EITHER,  OR.  215 

"I  knew  you  would  like  the  building;  but  can  you  scrape 
together  enough  money  to  secure  it?" 

"We  must  have  the  building  if  we  have  to  steal  the 
money,"  cried  Richard  laughingly.  "May  be,  Mrs.  Kean  will 
lend  us  a  helping  hand.  I  must  see  her  at  once,  for  I  would 
not  miss  the  purchase  of  this  hall  for  a  thousand  dollars." 

Mrs.  Kean  did  lend  a  helping  hand  and  a  few  days  later 
the  deed  was  handed  her  on  payment  of  $35,000,  the  purchaser 
being  Richard  Velder. 

When  the  tinker  informed  Mr.  Stitch  of  the  purchase  the 
next  day,  that  worthy  opened  his  eyes  to  their  fullest 
capacity. 

"Is  it  possible,"  he  exclaimed.  "Why  your  friend  is 
a  daisy.  And  you  say,  we  can  go  and  meet  there  without  any 
charge  whatever?" 

"Excepting  the  cost  of  the  gas." 

"Why,  of  course.  We  ain't  hogs,  we  ain't,  to  saddle  such 
a  splendid  fellow  with  our  gas  bills.  Won't  our  fellows  open 
their  eyes  though.     When  can  we  commence?" 

"Well,  not  before  a  week  or  so.  If  you  saw  the  dust 
there  you  would  be  of  the  same  opinion.  I'll  have  to  hire  a 
dozen  damsels  from  Dennis  Court  to  sweep  and  scrub  the 
building  from  top  to  bottom." 

"Well,  do,  and  allow  us  to  share  in  footing  the  bill.  It 
ain't  fair  that  you  should  do  all  the  work  and  then  pay  all  the 
bills  as  well." 

"Agreed;  but  now  farewell.  I'll  engage  the  scrubbers, 
and  report  progress." 

"Do,  sir.  Whew!  Won't  them  fellows  open  their  peepers 
when  I  tell  them." 

Richard  found  no  difficulties  in  securing  all  the  help  he 
needed.  Jim  Murphy  expressed  his  sincere  regret  at  not  be- 
ing able  to  marshal  these  hosts,  but  secured  a  substitute  "in- 
toierly  railoiable,"  he  said,  and  was  as  good  as  his  word,  forthe 
substitute  did  splendid  execution.  There  were  fully  two 
dozen  of  the  fair  sex  at  his  heels  and  it  was  refreshing 
to     see    how    this    corps     of     vengeance    made     the     dust 


216  EITHER,  OR. 

fly.       Richard     made     them     commence     with    the      upper 
floor.       The      dust      was     really      thick      enough      to      be 
shoveled.     It  was  accordingly  shoveled  into  barrels,  and  then 
carried  down  by  the  substitute  and  deposited  on  the  sidewalk, 
to  be  afterward  removed  by  the  ashman.     The  shoveling  was 
followed  by  sweeping,  and  this,  in  turn,  by  scrubbing.     Next 
the  windows  were  washed,  and  finally  the  seats  scrubbed  and 
cleaned,    after   which    purification    the    fine  hall  looked    like 
newly  born,  smiling  upon  the  visitor  like  a  being  recovering 
from    a   cutaneous  disease   and  rejoicing   now  in  fresh  linen. 
Richard  resolved  to  give  it  a  coat  of  paint,  later  on,  and  led 
his  forces  to  the   second   floor,   where   the   same  process  was 
gone  through  with.  The  building  was  of  gigautic  dimensions, 
and  Richard  had   calculated  with  tolerable  accuracy,  when  he 
had  placed  its  readiness  for  occupancy  at  the  end  of  the  week. 
He  wras  greatly  pleased  with  the  efficient  help    rendered  him 
by  the  people  of  the  court,  and  showed  his  gratitude  by  a  little 
feast,  which    he  spread  for    them  in  one  of  the  rooms  of  the 
first  floor  the  day  after  they  finished  their  work.    Gottlieb  and 
Sophie  were    present;  so    was  Mrs.  Kean    and   Elinor;    Jim 
Murphy  and  his    spouse,  Alice  and  Duncan  and  many    other 
tenants  of  the  court.     Our  friend  also  invited  Stitch,  who  was 
one  of  the  jolliest   of  the   crowd,  and  made    a  little    speech 
prompted  partly   by  his  enthusiasm    for  the  new  gospel,  and 
partly  by    the  beer  furnished  for  the  occasion  and  consumed 
in  becoming  moderation  by  the  little  tailor.     One  might  have 
thought  Richard  had  been  popular  before  with  the  court,  we 
mean  Dennis,  of  course,  so  popular  indeed  that  an  increase  of 
this  popularity    seemed  impossible  ;  but  by  this    little  indulg- 
ence   to    their    appetites,    he    gained    even    more    than     by 
his  unceasing    interest  in  their  spiritual  welfare,  and   unfor- 
tunately indeed  would  have    been  the    party  bold  enough  to 
speak  ill  of  him  among  the  tenants    or  utter   threats  against 
him. 

Richard  saw  that  the  large  hall  would  require  some  en- 
ergetic person  to  manage  its  business ;  so  he  offered  the  place 
to  Mr.   Rinehart,  who  was  sagacious   enough  to  see  that  the 


EITHER,  OR.  217 

post  was  likely  to  be  a  lucrative  one,  and  therefore  readily 
accepted  it.  The  transfer  of  his  goods  and  family  was  speed- 
ily effected,  and  then  the  building  was  thrown  open  to  any 
and  all  the  branches  of  the  new  order  wishing  to  avail  them- 
selves of  the  privilege.  Mr.  Stitch  was  the  first  to  lead  his 
phalanx  to  the  new  temple,  and  proud  indeed,  he  was,  when 
they  assembled  fully  sixty  strong.  Richard  was  present,  to 
assist  in  the  formation  of  the  order,  which  assumed  the  name 
of  Number  One,  to  distinguish  it  from  those  likely  to  follow 
soon,  but  he  declined  the  honor  of  presiding  over  it,  as  his 
manifold  duties  would  prevent  him  from  doing  justice  to  the 
post.  And  now  we  must  once  more  abandon  the  task  of  fol- 
lowing him  at  every  step,  not  because  we  would  have  nothing 
of  interest  to  present  to  our  readers.  On  the  contrary.  We 
claim  that  the  most  trivial  work  performed  in  such  an  exalted 
scheme,  is  surrounded  with  a  halo  ennobling  it  in  the  sight  of 
every  true  lover  of  humanity,  giving  it  a  spiciness  foreign  to 
more  trivial  matters,  no  matter  how  interesting  to  the  selfishly 
inclined  or  materially  disposed.  No,  the  plot  thickens, 
and  it  will  be  utterly  impossible  for  us  to  keep  in  hand  and 
follow  all  the  single  threads  of  our  story.  We  must  be  satis- 
fied therefore  with  presenting  to  the  reader's  mind  the 
powerful  combinations,  the  deep  reflections,  the  strik- 
ing lights,  the  scenes  of  awe,  of  terror,  of  love  and 
tenderness,  of  rage  and  hatred,  of  breathless  suspense  and 
keen  intensity,  which  our  story  presents.  There  are  enough 
of  them  dear  reader,  in  fact,  how  could  it  be  otherwise?  Our 
tale  is  not  fictitious.  If  3-011  have  not  met  exactly  the  same 
individuals  presented  on  our  stage,  rest  assured  that  they  have 
their  true  counterparts  in  life,  and  that  you  have  encountered 
them  under  different  names  and  at  other  places.  We  repre- 
sent a  struggle  more  intense  and  bitter,  more  pathetic  and  com- 
prehensive than  any  one  which  has  hitherto  marked  the 
annals  of  the  race.  Trust  with  us,  that  our  heroes  will 
triumph ;  hope  that  their  philanthropise  designs  will  be 
crowned  with  success,  for  if  they  are  not,  if  the  selfish,  the 
despotic,  the  greedy  and  licentious  crowd  them  to  the  wall ;  if 


21  s  EITHER,  OR. 

they  toil  their  noble  purposes  and  crush  them  under  their 
relentless  tyranny,  the  aspect  of  human  affairs  will  take  a 
sombre  'hue  indeed,  the  milleniumj  will  be  removed  to  distant 
epochs,  and  our  civilization  bought  with  so  much  blood,  so  much 
misery,  so  much  suffering  and  so  much  time,  swamp  in  the 
universal  brutality,  which  must  and  will  ensue  before  the 
race  can  be  born  anew.  Yes,  trust  with  us,  that  our  heroes 
will  succeed,  and  do  not  withhold  from  them  that  sympathy 
which  is  in  itself  a  powerful  ally. 

The  da}'  after  the  opening  of  National  Hall,  as  the  place 
was  christened,  Charles  Duncan  said  farewell  to  his  wife  and 
child  and  to  his  new  friends,  and  started  for  the  west.  Rich- 
ard, on  the  other  hand,  resumed  his  wanderings  through  the 
city,  feeling  that  he  had  lost  much  time,  and  determined  that 
it  should  be  made  up  by  double  industry.  His  efforts  were 
eminently  successful,  so  successful  in  fact  as  to  fill  him  with 
wonder,  and  strengthened  into  absolute  certainty  his  previous 
belief  in  the  timeliness  of  his  work.  Wherever  he  went  he  made 
converts,  and  soon  the  orders  which  met  in  National  Hall 
rose  to  tens,  then  twenties,  and  before  the  end  of  winter  had 
crowded  up  to  number  one  hundred.  Duncan  was  equally 
successful.  It  was  a  pleasure  to  read  his  letters.  "Our  mem- 
bership grows  at  an  almost  incredible  rate,  and  what  surprises 
me  most,  the  women  are  as  anxious  to  join  our  ranks  as  the 
men.  We  have  a  dozen  orders  composed  exclusively  of 
women.  "  I  took  them  in,  knowing  that  you  would  not  only 
approve  of  such  a  step,  but  rejoice  at  it.  In  fact  it  is  my 
belief,  Richard,  that  a  movement  which  fails  to  enlist  the 
sympathy  of  women  is  still  born.  The  funds  you  sent  came 
very  handy.  We  have  rented  a  hall  and  are  now  self  sustain- 
ing, although  it  has  been  impossible  thus  far  to  create  a 
reserve  fund,  as  we  must  prepare  for  emergencies.  I  am  glad 
to  hear  that  Gottlieb  is  drilling  your  forceS.  We  have  some 
old  soldiers  amongst  us,  and  at  our  next  meeting  I  shall  sug- 
gest the  propriety  of  introducing  such  a  feature  in  our  exer- 
cises. Well,  enough  for  to-day.  With  heart}7  good  wishes  to 
you  all  I  remain,  Yours  Sincerely, 

Charles  Duncan. 


EITHER,  OR.  219 

He  was  correct.  Gottlieb  did  drill  the  members  of  the 
order  and  almost  every  member  excepting  perhaps  some  old 
men,  had  joined  some  company  or  other.  When  Richard  had 
time  he  frequented  the  nightly  meetings  and  infused  quite  an 
enthusiasm  for  gymnastics,  wrestling  and  similar  sports  into 
the  members.  He  had  a  shooting  gallery  erected  in  the  base- 
ment, running  the  full  length  of  the  building,  and  there  he 
astonished  his  mates  by  the  accuracy  of  his  never  failing  aim. 
They  soon  looked  up  to  him  in  this,  as  almost  all  other 
things,  and  before  long  Dick  Brown,  the  tinker,  became  a 
celebrity  in  the  city.  His  deportment,  however,  remained  the 
same.  He  continued  to  be  plain,  painstaking,  civil  and  oblig- 
ing fellow,  following  his  profession  with  a  never  swerving  as- 
siduity, as  if  his  life  depended  upon  his  earnings.  Of  course  in 
his  estimation,  the  seed  he  scattered  during  his  wanderings  was 
of  much  greater  value  and  importance  than  the  money  he 
pocketed.  Yet  even  in  this  he  took  pride,  feeling  that  he  was 
thus  setting  an  example  worthy  of  imitation  and  likely  to  be 
followed.  Among  the  converts  he  made  daily  he  found  many 
able  men,  and  such  he  sent  out  to  the  various  cities  of  the 
land.  Before  the  end  of  the  year  orders  had  been  estab- 
lished in  Fratopolis,  Smokopolis,  Shoatopolis,  Iyousopolis  and 
many  other  places.  They  all  nourished  in  a  surprising  man- 
ner, and  at  a  meeting  of  all  the  orders  of  Plutopolis,  which 
occurred  about  New  Years,  he  stated  that  reports  from  all 
these  places  justified  his  opinion  that  the  Order  of  the  Nation 
had  even  then,  that  is,  only  five  months  since  its  creation, 
reached  a  membership  of  over  two  hundred  thousand.  He 
said  he  took  this  opportunity  to  bid  them  farewell  for  a  few 
months,  as  their  missionaries  had  expressed  the  wish  of  seeing 
him  in  their  midst,  expressing  their  belief  that  such  a  move 
would  be  followed  by  good  results.  He  exhorted  them  to 
keep  the  ball  rolling  and  never  to  lose  an  hour  to  spread  the 
new  taith  among  the  ignorant  or  unbelievers. 

He  did  go  the  next  evening,  but  we  cannot  follow  him. 
He  went  from  place  to  place,  from  State  to  State,  until  he  had 
journeyed  over  every  portion  of  that    immense  country.      At 


220  HITHER,  OR. 

some  places  he  tarried  long,  at  others  only  a  day  or  two, 
adapting  his  movements  to  the  wants  and  interests  of  the  peo- 
ple. He  did  not  travel  as  a  tinker,  however,  feeling  that  such 
a  procedure  would  consume  more  time  than  he  could  spare, 
and  feeling  also,  that  addresses  delivered  to  large  crowds 
would  further  the  cause  more  at  this  state  of  development 
than  the  necessarily  slow  instructions  meted  out  to  a  few  in- 
dividuals. 

During  his  journey  he  was  the  subject  of  many  criticisms 
in  the  papers  Most  of  them  were  moderately  fair.  While 
some  called  him  a  crank,  and  others  a  dreamer,  an  enthusiast,  or 
impractical  extremist,  but  very  few  denied  that  he  showed  re- 
markable ability  and  consistency,  living  up  to  his  preachings 
in  every  particular  and  exhorting  his  followers  to  use 
moderation  in  all  their  dealings  with  their  foes,  as 
well  as  friends.  A  few  conservative  papers,  however,  denounced 
him  and  his  doctrines  as  extremely  dangerous,  because 
fascinating,  and  expressed  their  belief  in  the  propriety  of  in- 
creasing the  federal  army,  as  the  militia  had  become  infected 
with  these  dangerous  doctrines,  and  could  no  longer  be 
trusted  in  emergencies. 

It  was  in  the  fall,  when  Richard  Brown  returned  to  Plu- 
topolis,  where  his  friends  gave  him  a  warm  reception.  He 
learned  to  his  great  satisfaction,  that  the  members  of  the  or- 
der in  that  city  alone  had  reached  the  surprising  number  of 
five  hundred  thousand.  National  Hall  was  still  the  center  of 
the  order,  but  a  dozen  other  halls  had  been  rented  besides, 
and  the  brotherhood  possessed  a  reserve  fund  amounting  to 
many  thousands.  Here  also  women  had  been  drawn  into  the 
movement,  forming  dozens  of  orders  or  societies.  Nor  is  this 
to  be  wondered  at,  as  the  brotherhood  proclaimed  the  equality 
of  the  two  sexes,  allowing  equal  rights  and  equal  duties.  So 
great  was  the  influx  of  women  into  the  order,  that  the 
churches  of  the  city  began  to  be  alarmed  and  preached  con- 
demning sermons,  denouncing  the  godlessness  of  the  movement, 
its  disregards  of  the  teachings  of  the  bible  which  justifies 
poverty,  and  gives  to  woman  an  inferior  position.     These  ser- 


EITHER,  OR.  221 

mons,  however,  had  an  effect  contrary  to  that  desired  and 
contemplated.  They  called  the  attention  of  women  to  the 
unworthy  position  to  which  the  bible  condemns  woman,  and 
after  due  investigation  these  harangues  increased  the  deser- 
tions from  the  churches  to  the  ranks  of  the  brotherhood. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


THE    BRUTALITY    OF   THE    POOR. 

On  the  Sunday  following  his  arrival,  Richard  took  his 
customary  morning  walk  in  the  park,  when  he  discovered  a 
figure  on  one  of  the  benches  which  appeared  familiar  to  him. 
He  cast  a  second  scrutinizing  glance  at  it  and,  true  enough, 
there  sat  the  old  Scandinavian  gentleman,  whom  he  had  met 
over  a  year  ago,  on  almost  the  same  bench.  There  was  the 
old-fashioned  broad-brimmed  hat,  the  palitot  buttoned  to  the 
neck,  the  shoes  with  the  huge  buckles  and  the  round  glasses, 
over  which  the  benevolent  eyes  peered  into  the  distance.  The 
locks,  however,  had  become  a  little  grayer,  the  palitot  a  little 
more  seedy,  and  the  hat  a  little  more  dilapidated.  Richard 
sat  down  beside  him,  as  on  the  former  occasion,  and  said  : 
"Good  morning,  sir;  how  are  you,  and  have  you  found  your 
niece?" 

The  other  gave  a  little  start,  and  replied  with  an  uncer- 
tain puzzled  look:  "I  do  not  recollect  of  having  met  you  be- 
fore.    Will  you  refresh  my  memory?" 

"With  pleasure,  sir.  We  met  on  this  very  spot  over  a 
year  ago,  when  you  informed  me  that  you  hailed  from  Swed- 
en, and  had  come  to  Occidentia  to  find  your  niece,  Mary ;  nay, 
Bertha,  was  her  name,  I  think." 

A  smile  passed  over  the  old  man's  features,  as  he  replied  : 
"Ah,  now  I  recollect.  You  were  the  gentleman  who  gave  me 
a  few  circulars  on  parting,  circulars,  whose  contents  I  disbe- 
lieved and  condemned  then,  but  which  a  sad  experience  has 
proved  to  be  only  too  true." 

"I  had  forgotten  about  the  papers,  a  slip  of  memory  at 


222  KITHER,  OR. 

which  you  will  not  wonder,  when  I  tell  you  that  I  am  in 
the  habit  of  stuffing  everybody  that  way.  So  you  have 
become  converted  to  my  views.  Am  I  to  conclude  from  that 
remark,  that  the  world  has  not  treated  you  very  gently  since 
we  met?" 

"Gently?"  the  foreigner  asked  bitterly,  "why  they  have 
mocked  me.  scorned  me,  and  robbed  me  ever  since." 

"That  is  too  bad.  To  tell  the  truth,  I  anticipated  some- 
thing of  the  kind  and  had  half  a  mind  to  post  you  a  little  on 
leaving  you  ;  but  you  had  such  an  air  of  self-posessiou  that  I 
felt  a  little  shy  to  offer  you  advice.  I  am  now  sorry  I  did  not 
follow  my  first  impulse.  But  what  of  Bertha  :  Have  you  not 
found  her  yet?  " 

"Not  a  vestige  of  her,  my  friend,  for  something  tells  me 
that  I  may  consider  you  as  such.  They  sent  me  from  Pontius 
to  Pilate  on  errnds,  which  I  now  suspect  to  have.been  those  of 
a  fool,  until  my  means  are  exhausted,  and  I  had  to  stop  from 
want  of  funds  as  well  as  from  exhaustion." 

Here  he  stopped,  looking  so  miserable,  and  yet  so  touch- 
ingly  grand  in  his  simplicity,  that  Richard's  heart  warmed  to. 
wards  him,  causing  him  to  form  the  resolution  of  charging 
himself  with  this  big  boy. 

"  'Tis  too  bad,"  he  cried  with  genuine  sympathy.  "But, 
may  be  it  is  not  too  late  yet.  Will  you  allow  me  to  offer  you 
my  assistance  in  this  as  well  as  in  other  matters?  " 

The  stranger  cast  at  him  a  glance,  showing  plainly  that 
the  meanness  of  the  world  had  done  its  mischief,  and  poisoned 
a  mind  once  so  trustful,  simple  and  genial. 

He  hesitated  fully  half  a  minute,  then  said  uncertainly: 

"Your  words  are  ver)r  kind,  sir,  and  I  long  to  confide  in 
them;  but  I  have  heard  of  so  many  of  the  same  nature  during 
this  wretched  3-ear  that  I  cannot  help  feeling  distrustful. 
What  interest  can  you  take  in  an  old  man  whom  you  saw  only 
once,  and  who  was  born  in  a  foreign  land?  " 

Richard  gazed  at  him  with  compassion.  "The  world 
must  indeed  have  been  very  cruel  to  3'ou,  to  dim  a  mind  as 
clear  and  placid  as  a  spring,  when  first  I  met  you.     What  in- 


EITHER,  OR.  223 

terest  I  take  in  you  ?  Do  you  forget  the  papers  I  handed  you  ? 
I  take  in  you  the  interest  of  one  human  being  in  another.  But 
I  forgot ;  these  rascals  have  made  you  suspicious,  so  I  must 
not  preach  but  argue.  Tell  me  what  reason  could  I  possibly 
have  to  dupe  you.     Are  you  not  poor?  " 

"My  purse  is  exhausted." 

"Are  you  not  old  and  friendless?" 

"I  ^ould,  indeed,  be  of  little  use  as  a  helpmate  or  a 
worker." 

"In  that  case,  what  inducements  could  I  have  to  deceive 
you,  and  to  abuse  your  confidence?" 

"You  reason  logically.  Iyittle  inducement  could  you 
have  to  deceive  me,  excepting  perhaps,  the  source  of  sport 
which  you  and  others  might  derive  from  it." 

Richard  was  moved  beyond  expression.  How  some  rogue 
or  rogues  must  have  abused  this  child  of  nature ! 

"These  words  imply  no  flattering  estimate  of  my  charac- 
ter," he  said  kindty,  "but  I  excuse  them  for  the  wrong  done 
you  by  parties  who  boast  the  name  of  men,  but  really  stand 
below  the  brute.  All  I  can  and  will  say,  is  :  Try  me,  sir,  and 
if  you  detect  the  least  trace  of  malicious  selfishness  or  treach- 
ery in  ruy  conduct,  why  spurn  me  and  cast  me  off  like  a  pois- 
onous serpent." 

There  is  a  ring  in  truth  which  no  imitation  can  fully 
reach.  The  old  man  was  conquered.  He  wiped  a  suspicious 
moisture  from  his  eyes,  and  extending  his  right  hand  to  Rich- 
ard, said  in  a  tremulous  voice  : 

"I  will  believe  you,  I  do  believe  you.  They  have  been 
very  cruel  to  me  ;  but  to  use  such  language  and  then  deceive 
me  would  be  worthy  of  a  Judas.  Yes  sir,  I  believe  you,  I  do 
believe  and  trust  you." 

"Thank  you,  Mr. — what  is  your  name,  please?  " 

"Andersen,  Eric  Andersen." 

"Thank  you,  Mr.  Andersen.  I  hope  I  can  soon  prove  to 
you  the  sincerity  of  my  professions.  And  now  Mr.  Andersen, 
give  me  an  outline  of  your  circumstances  and  situation,  to  en- 
able me  to  form  an  idea  of  the  course  we   had  better  pursue 


224  EITHER.  OR. 

to  discover  Bertha,  and  better  your  condition.  But  stop,"  he 
continued,  seeing  that  the  other  prepared  to  do  his  bidding. 
"This  is  rather  a  public  place  for  confidential  communications. 
Where  do  you  live?  Had  not  we  better  seek  the  quietude  of 
your  room,  before  we  begin  ?  " 

The  other  hesitated  and  showed  a  slight  embarrassment. 
"Do  not  misjudge  my  silence,"  he  then  said  hastily.  "It  was 
not  dictated  by  distrust ;  but — but  by  the  simple  fact  that 
since  this  morning  I  have  no  room  which  I  could  call  my 
own." 

"No  room?  Was  I  not  lucky  then  to  find  you  this  morn- 
ing." 

"You?"  the  Swede  said,  with  a  touch  of  humor,  "it 
strikes  me  the  luck  is  all  on  my  side.  Well,  having  no  room 
to  take  you  to,  I  may  as  well  make  a  virtue  of  necessity  and 
unburden  my  mind  right  here.     I — " 

"Nay,  stop  a  moment.  If  you  have  no  room  we  must 
procure  one.  I  do  not  wish  to  wound  your  feelings,  but — but 
have  you  any  baggage  left?  " 

"My  trunk  is  in  the  clutches  of  my  landlord,  who  refuses 
to  surrender  it  until  a  little  boarding  bill  has  been  settled." 

"The  Shylock.     Well,  lead  me  to  his  den." 

The  Swede  arose,  but,  was  it  increasing  age,  was  it  want 
of  proper  nourishment,  or  the  excitement  of  the  moment,  he 
shook  visibly,  causing  Richard  to  exclaim.  "Come  take  my 
arm  and  lean  on  me.  Lean  hard,  I  am  strong  and  young  and 
only  too  glad  to  support  old  age  so  worthilj-  attained." 

The  old  gentleman  accepted  the  proffered  arm,  saying 
huskily.     "It  is  the  reaction,  dear  sir." 

A  sudden  thought  flashed  through  Richard's  brain. 
Perhaps  it  is  also  the  want  of  breakfast.  But  he  was  too 
delicate  to  give  it  words.  When  they  reached  the  street 
Richard  halted  before  a  restaurant,  saying  gaily:  "See  here. 
There  is  a  restaurant.  Talking  has  made  me  hungry.  Will 
you  do  me  the  honor  of  being  my  guest  ?  " 

The  old  man  gazed  at  him  over  his  spectacles.  "That's 
right,"  he  said  with  a  grim  smile,  "gloss  it  over.       You  know, 


EITHER,  OR.  225 

I  had  no  breakfast  and  take  this  delicate  way  offering  me 
one." 

"Have  your  own  way  about  that"  Richard  replied  with  a 
laugh.  "It  isn't  polite  to  contradict  old  people,  so  if  you  con- 
sent to  be  my  guest  you  may  arrange  the  details  to  suit  your- 
self." 

They  enter  the  establishment,  and  when  the  viands  had 
been  placed  before  them,  the  old  man  attacked  them  with  a 
zest  filling  Richard  with  mixed  pleasure  and  compassion. 
The  meal  seemed  to  restore  his  guest  to  some  of  his  former 
buoyancy,  for  as  they  proceeded  on  their  way.  his  step  was 
firmer,  and  his  bearing  more  erect. 

After  walking  half  a  dozen  blocks  further,  the  Swede 
pointed  to  a  small  tavern,  saying:  "This  is  the  place.  Well, 
I  declare,  you  have  not  given  me  your  name." 

"Richard  Brown,  Mr.  Andersen,  generally  known  in  town 
as  Dick,  the  Tinker." 

Their  arrival  at  the  door  of  the  tavern  ended  their  con- 
versation. There  was  an  awning  before  the  house,  and  a 
number  of  the  inmates  sat  on  chairs,  taking  the  usual  Sunday 
siesta.  No  sooner  had  our  friends  made  their  appearance, 
when  one  of  the  men,  a  young  fellow  of  rather  rude  and  vul- 
gar looks,  exclaimed:     "Hallo,  professor,  how  is  Bertha?" 

"Richard  felt  his  companion's  arm  tremble,  and  saw  a 
deep  red  mount  his  brow.  Richard  prided  himself  on  consid- 
erable self  possession,  but  this  unkind  jest  taxed  it  to  the 
utmost.  Abandoning  Andersen's  arm  he  walked  up  to  the 
fellow,  gazed  him  squarely  in  the  face,  and  said  coldly,  with 
ill-disguised  contempt ; 

"Mr.  Andersen  is  my  friend,  sir,  and  I  am  ready  to  resent 
severely  any  indignities  offered  him." 

After  uttering  these  words  he  retained  his  position  suf- 
ficiently long  to  give  him  an  opportunity  for  replying.  The 
fellow,  however,  dropped  his  eyes  before  Richard's  cold 
scrutiny,  and  remained  silent. 

Richard  had  spoken  loud  enough  to  be  heard  by  the 
crowd,  to  intimate,  that  his  remark  had  been  intended  for  all. 


226  EITHER,  OR. 

Returning  to  Andersen,  he  said:  "Now,  dear  sir,  where  is  the 
landlord?" 

Before  the  old  man  could  reply,  a  figure  rose  from  one  of 
the  chairs,  exclaiming:  "Here  he  be.  Do  you  want  anything 
of  me?" 

"If  you  will  please  step  into  your  office  I  shall  inform  you 
the  nature  of  my  errand." 

We  need  not  inform  the  reader  at  this  place,  that  there  was 
a  certain  something  in  Richard's  decisive  tone  and  manner,, 
claiming  attention  and  respect.  So  the  landlord  deemed  it 
prudent  to  lead  the  two  newcomers  into  the  office,  where  he 
inquired  rather  brusquely:  "Well,  what  is  it  you  fellows 
want?" 

"Make  out  Mr.  Andersen's  bill,  sir." 

"There  is  no  need  of  making  that  out.  It  has  been  made 
out  a  dozen  times,  and  he  knows  it." 

"Let  me  have  it,  then." 

The  landlord  opened  a  safe,  rummaged  amongst  some 
papers,  and  finally  pulled  forth  a  slip,  which  he  threw  rather 
contemptuously  on  the  counter.  Richard  had  no  desire  to 
pick  a  quarrel  with  him:  so  he  took  up  the  slip,  reading: 
"For  ten  weeks'  board  and  lodging,  $50." 

"Is  this  correct,  Mr.  Andersen?" 

"Of  course  it  is.     Do  you  think  we  cheat  here,  sir?  " 

"Is  this  bill  correct,  Mr.  Andersen?"  Richard  asked  a 
second  time,  without  heeding  the  landlord's  interruption. 

"I  am  afraid  it  is,  sir.     At  least — " 

"All  right,  then,  we  won't  wrangle  over  a  dollar  or  two 
Receipt  this  if  you  please." 

The  landlord  complied,  and  when  Richard  had  handed 
him  the  money  he  inquired.  "Now,  where  is  Mr.  Andersen's 
trunk?" 

"In  the  garret  amongst  other  rubbish,"  the  other  replied 
sueeringly. 

"Have  the  goodness,  then,  to  have  it  brought  down  with- 
out delaj-,  as  we  desire  to  take  it  with  us." 


EITHER.  OR.  227 

"Well,  there  ain't  such  a  dreadful  hurry,  is  there?  He 
took  plenty  time  to  pay  his  bill." 

"I  do  not  wish  to  bandy  words  with  you.  I'll  give  you  ten 
minutes  to  procure  the  trunk  with  all  its  contents,  mind.  If 
it  has  not  been  delivered  to  us  then,  I  shall  notify  the  police  " 
He  drew  his  watch,  looked  at  it,  and  then  sank  into  a 
chair  to  await  the  landlord's  pleasure.  For  fully  a  minute 
wrath  and  prudence  wrestled  for  the  upper  hand  in  the  fellow. 
Then  prudence  conquered  by  whispering. 

"Get  the  trunk,  to  avoid  cost.  There  is  no  earthly  use  in 
throwing  money  into  the  street."  So  he  dispatched  the  porter 
for  the  trunk  which  was  delivered  to  Richard  just  at  the  ex- 
piration of  the  time  of  grace. 

"Can  you  procure  an  express  wagon  for  me  ? ."  he  inquired 
slipping  a  quarter  into  the  man's  hand. 

"Certainly,  there  is  one  halting  before  the  house  now." 
"Call  him  in,  please." 

The  express  man  was  called,  and   when  the  baggage  had 
been  placed  in  his  charge  with  the  injunction   to  deliver  it  at 
the  grocery  on  Lemon  street,  Richard  and  his  protege  retired 
from  the  tavern.     While,   they    passed   the   loungers  on   the 
pavement,  not  a  word  was  said,  but  when   our  friends  were  a 
hundred  feet  away  a  suppressed  laughter  became  audible      It 
was  the  old  story  of  the  fist  in  the  pocket.    Richard,  of  course 
ignored  it,  and  hailing  a  street  car,  was  soon  whirled  towards 
Gottlieb's  emporium.       We  give  the  establishment  this  name 
on  purpose.     From    its   original  humble  proportions,    it    had 
grown  to  be  a  real  emporium    now.       An  additional    lot  had 
been  purchased,  and  covered  with  a  large  building  in  which 
not  only  groceries  of  every  description,  but  a  selection  of  hard 
and  hollow   ware  and   dry    goods  were  offered    or  sale      Six 
clerks   had   been  engaged,  one    after  another,  partly  because 
Gottlieb  and  Sophie  could  not  wait  on  all  the  customers,  and 
partly  because  their   time  was  occupied  by  other  things       A 
little  girl  had  made   her  appearance,  engaging   rnuch  of  the 
young  mother's  time,  and  as  to  Gottlieb,  he  had  hecome grand 
military  instructor  in  National  Hall,  drilling  his  recruits  to  his 


228  EITHER,  OR. 

heart's  content,  until  fifty  thousand  stalwart  yeomen  hailed 
him  chief.  At  first  they  had  drilled  with  sticks,  but  gradually 
as  the  resources  of  the  order  increased,  rifles  of  an  improved 
pattern  had  been  purchased,  lining  the  armory  of  National 
Hall,  and  the  smaller  rendezvous'  of  the  brotherhood,  to  the 
alarm  of  many  a  croaker  who  claimed  that  these  weapons  in 
the  hands  of  such  fanatics,  endangered  the  public  safety. 
Now  and  then  a  conservative  newspaper  published  a  leader  on 
this  subject,  clamoring  for  an  increase  of  the  army  to  keep 
these  anarchists  in  subjection  ;  but  as  the  laws  of  the  country 
forbade  only  concealed  fire  arms,  all  these  croakings  had  thus 
far  availed  their  authors  nothing,  although  Richard  forsaw 
the  probability  of  early  attempts  on  the  part  of  capital  to 
crush  the  rising  spirit  of  the  masses  by  more  stringent  police 
measures.  Duncan  had  written  him  several  times  on  this 
point,  regretting  that  the  lack  of  funds  of  the  Lakopolis 
brotherhood  had  thus  far  made  the  purchase  of  arms  impossi- 
ble.    To  this  Richard  had  replied: 

"Organize  companies  and  offer  them  to  the  State  as 
militia  .True,  this  makes  them  subject  to  the  governor's  call, 
but  the  danger  of  the  abuse  of  his  power  is  small  in  com- 
parison with  the  advantage  you  will  derive  from  the  drill." 

But  we  have  lost  sight  of  Richard  and  his  protege.  When 
they  reached  the  grocery  Gottlieb  and  his  spouse  were  rather 
surprised  at  this  increase  of  the  family,  but  Richard  had 
brought  the  stranger,  and  that  was  sufficient.  So  perfect  was 
their  trust  in  him  and  in  the  sagacity  and  benevolence  of  his 
measures,  that  they  would  have  jumped  into  the  river,  if  he 
had  bidden  them. 

Richard  took  Sophie  aside  and  gave  her  a  hurried  account 
of  the  stranger's  case,  and  his  own  intentions.  Then  he  ad- 
ded: "And  now  Sophie,  have  you  some  spare  room  where  we 
can  put  him?  " 

"Certainly,  there  is  the  attic  room  in  the  new  building, 
just  as  cosy  a  place  as  a  king  could  wish." 

"Is  it  ready?  " 

"I  can  make  it  so  in  ten  minutes." 


EITHER,  OR.  229 

"All  right,  I'll  take  his  trunk  up,  and  when  you  are  ready 
make  me  a  sign." 

The  sign  was  made  very  shortly,  and  Richard  took  his 
new  protege  to  his  new  quarters,  saying  on  entering:  "Nowt 
Mr.  Andersen,  make  yourself  comfortable.  I'll  leave  you  to 
arrange  things  to  suit  yourself,  and  when  vou  have  done  I'll 
come  to  hear  your  story." 

As  he  was  on  the  point  of  leaving,  the  old  man  took  both 
his  hands  in  his,  and  said  with  a  voice  half  choked  with 
emotion?  ''Mr.  Brown,  how  can  I  ever  repay  this?  It  is  all 
like  a  dream,  from  which  I  expect  to  awaken  every  mo- 
ment." 

"It  isn't  though,  and  you  can  repay  me  by  saying  noth- 
ing more  about  it.     Good  bye,  I'll  be  back  shortly." 

Down  stairs  he  once  more  cornered  Sophie,  confiding  to 
her  his  fear  that  her  guest's  linen  was  in  a  highly  dilapidated 
condition.  "You  examine  his  trunk  when  he  is  away,  and  if 
you  see  anything  wrong,  quietly  restore  or  renew  it.  We 
must  not  hurt  his  feelings,  you  know." 

She  nodded  intelligently,  and  informed  him  late  that 
evening  that  Mr.  Andersen's  linen  was  past  mending,  so  she 
would  get  him  half  a  dozen  shirts,  beside  the  requisite  hand- 
kerchiefs, socks,  cravats,  etc.  Nor  was  she  slow  in  executing 
her  errand  of  mercy,  for  when  the  old  gentleman  opened  his 
trunk  the  next  evening  he  found  his  entire  wardrobe  renewed, 
with  a  liberality  only  less  marked  than  the  delicacy  exercised 
in  the  act.  He  saw  that  they  did  not  want  him  to  say  any- 
thing about  it,  and  he  obeyed,  although  his  heart  was  full  to 
bursting.  But  this  does  not  put  us  in  possession  of  his  his- 
tory, so  we  returned  to  the  moment  when  Richard  re-entered 
his  room  and  said.  "Now,  Mr.  Andersen,  I  am  ready  to  hear 
what  you  have  to  say,  but  remember  that  I  am  no  detective, 
nor  you  on  the  witness  stand." 

"Thank  you,  rny  son.  You  do  not  object  to  my  calling 
you  sou?" 

"I  do  not,  provided  you  allow  me  the  privileges  of  a  son. 


23o  EITHER,  OR. 

I  am  going  to  take  one  right  now.  Why  don't  you  take  off 
this  overcoat,  sir." 

"I  answer  as  frankly  as  you  ask.  Because  my  wardrobe 
is  hardly  in  a  presentable  condition." 

"Then  we'll  make  it  so.  Off  with  the  palitot."  He 
laughingly  took  hold  of  the  garment,  and  Andersen  seeing 
his  kind  intentions,  and  having,  morever,  a  keen  sense  for  the 
humerous,  yielded  to  the  gentle  force  of  his  new  friend  His 
clothes  were  indeed  far  from  presentable.  The  coat  had 
numerous  tears  and  holes,  and  the  pantaloons  were  hardly 
better. 

"I  see  we  must  postpone  our  story  a  little  while  longer," 
Richard  said,  feigning  a  comical  consternation.  "Excuse  me 
a  moment.  I  think  you  and  Gottlieb  are  of  nearly  the  same 
build,  so  I'll  go  and  see  whether  I  cannot  annex  a  suit  of  his 
until  we  can  secure  a  new  outfit.  He  left  and  was  gone  fully 
fifteen  minutes.  When  he  returned,  he  said  :  "Come  with  me, 
Mr.  Andersen,  if  you  please." 

The  old  man  had  by  this  time  adopted  the  docility  of  a 
child.  At  first  this  kindness  had  been  embarrassing,  but  it 
was  offered  with  such  genuine  friendship  that  the  bitter  edge 
was  soon  wore  off,  and  now  the  keen  satisfaction  of  stripping 
off  his  rags  and  donning  nice  new  clothes  overpowered  the 
rest  of  his  diffidence,  and  he  followed  his  patron  with  the 
readiness  of  a  person  who  has  had  his  coat  drenched  and  does 
not  care  whether  the  other  garments  follow  suit  or  not. 
Richard  proceeded  down  stairs,  and  finally  stopped  at  a  door, 
saying:  "Go  in  here,  sir,  and  lock  the  door  after  you.  Things 
inside  explain  themselves.  So  I  need  not  interpret  them. 
When  you  are  through,  come  back  to  your  room  where  I  shall 
await  you.  Richard  shoved  him  in.  The  apartment  was  a 
bathroom,  and  a  large  tin  tub  contained  warm  water,  while 
soap,  sponges,  brushes  and  towels  were  spread  on  a  neighbor- 
ing table.  A  clean  shirt,  ditto  socks,  and  a  complete  suit  were 
laid  on  another  table,  with  the  evident  design  of  being  donned 
by  Mr.  Andersen.  He  stood  for  a  moment,  as  if  overwhelmed, 
and  involuntarily  folded  his  hands,  as  if  invoking  silent  bless- 


EITHER,  OR.  231 

ing  upon  the  donor  of  all  these  things.  Then  he  rapidly 
stripped  his  rags,  and  proceeded  to  bathe  with  the  delight  of 
a  person  who  indulges  in  a  favorite  pastime  long  missing. 
We  need  not  stand  by  to  watch  him,  but  will  say  that  when 
he  returned  to  Richard,  that  j'oung  man  hardly  recognized 
him.  So  he  said  approvingly,  "that  looks  something  like  it. 
Now  take  this  easy  chair,  and  spin  your  yarn." 

Andersen  complied,  heaving  a  deep  sigh  of  relief  and  sat- 
isfaction, as  he  sank  in  the  comfortable  chair,  and  then 
began  : 

"I  was  born  in  Stockholm,  but  raised  in  Upsala,  where 
my  father  was  appointed  professor  of  ancient  languages.  I 
showed  a  predilection  for  natural  science  from  childhood  and 
determined  to  devote  myself  to  the  study  of  chemistry  and 
its  sister  branches,  when  I  had  reached  the  age  of  sixteen." 

"Then  you  and  I  have  kindred  minds  and  tastes,"  said 
Richard.  "That  accounts  perhaps  for  the  interest  I  took  in 
you,  sir." 

"Don't  slander  yourself  Richard.  You  would  take  the 
kindest  interest  even  in  a  savage.  But  to  proceed :  At 
eighteen  my  father  gave  me  enough  money  to  study  chemistry 
for  a  year  or  two  at  the  University  of  Goettingen,  in  Germany, 
then  famous  through  the  lectures  of  some  eminent  chemists. 
There  I  stayed  three  years  and, — " 

"Of  course,  you  speak  German,  then?" 
"Not  so  fluently   as  then,  but  I  have  retained  enough  to 
understand  it  when  spoken,  and  to  reply  in  it." 

"That  conies  handy.  Gottlieb  and  his  worthy  spouse  are 
both  natives  of  Germany,  and  will  take  a  double  interest  in 
you,  when  they  learn  that  you  speak  their  language.  But  ex- 
cuse my  interruption." 

"When  I  was  through  I  returned  to  Upsala,  where  I 
worked  first  as  the  assistant  of  the  professor  of  chemistry,  but 
was  installed  in  his  position  a  few  years  later,  at  the  time  of, 
and  on  account  of  his  death.  This  professorship  I  have  filled 
uninterruptedly  for  forty-five  years.  About  eighteen  months 
ago  I.  was  pensioned  and  would   probably  be  living  at  Upsala 


232  EITHER,  OR. 

at  this  very  moment,  if  I  had  not  received  the  letter  informing 
me  of  my  sister's  death,  and  filling  me  with  the  desire  of  find- 
ing and  befriending  my  niece." 

Richard  pondered  a  moment  or  two.  It  was  a  simple  life, 
the  life  of  a  scholar  probably  eminent  in  his  branch,  but 
strangely  ignorant  not  only  of  other  sciences,  but  of  the  ways 
of  life.  At  last  he  said  :  "Mr.  Andersen,  I  presume  you  have 
mingled  but  little  with  society?" 

"Very  little,  my  son.  I  did  not  care  for  their  ways,  nor 
they  for  mine." 

"But  your  journey  to  Goettingen  and  your  sojourn  there 
must  have  caused  numerous  contacts  with  the  world." 

"Not  so  many  as  you  imagine.  In  those  days  we  had  no 
railways,  and  the  post  chase  is  a  rather  secluded  vehicle  of 
travel.  I  traveled  from  Upsala  on  board  a  vessel,  landing  at 
Breuerhafeu.  Thence  proceeded  on  a  river  craft  to  Muenden, 
and  thence  the  last  ten  miles  by  stage  to  Goettingen.  You 
see  in  that  way  a  fellow  would  not  see  much  of  the  wortd." 

Richard  did  see  it,  and  now  understood  some  traits  in  the 
professor's  character  strange  to  him  at  first.  "And  don't  you 
still  draw  your  pension?  "  he  inquired. 

"I  do,  but  my  expenses  have  been  so  very  great  that  I 
Was  forced  to  anticipate  it  fully  six  months,  and  can  not  draw 
now  until  the  first  of  April,  next  year.  Besides  my  leave  of 
absence  expires  at  that  date,  and  unless  it  is  renewed  I  must 
return  to  Sweden  or  lose  my  pension." 

"That's  queer,  can  you  not  live  where  you  please?  " 

"It  seems  not.  Perhaps  our  government  wishes  me  to 
spend  my  money  at  home.  At  all  events,  you  may  rely  upon 
the  correctness  of  my  statement." 

"Then  we  must  either  find  Bertha  in  a  hurry,  or  get  your 
furlough  renewed.  Through  whom  do  you  communicate  with 
the  government  at  home?  " 

"Through  the  Swedish  consul." 

"And  did  you  never  invoke  his  assistance  in  your  search." 

"Not  until  recently.  While  I  had  money  my  landlord 
was  as  sweet  as  pie,  volunteering   his  assistance  and  insisting 


EITHER,  OR.  233 

upon  having  my  mail  sent  to  his  place.  I  never  received 
any  letter  from  him,  but  whether  none  arrived,  or  whether  he 
appropriated  them  I  cannot  tell." 

"Then  Bertha  may  have  written  to  you  repeatedly?" 

"She  may,  but  as  I  stated  before,  such  letters,  if  written, 
never  reached  me." 

"But  now  you  have  sent  instructions  to  have  any  letters 
arriving  in  Upsala  for  you,  sent  in  care  of  the  Swedish  consul 
here?" 

"It  is,  as  you  say,  but  I  must  confess,  that  I  entertain  but 
little  hope  of  help  from  that  quarter." 

"But  why  is  this,  Mr.  Andersen?" 

"Simply  because  the  consul  received  me  very  coldly,  call- 
ing me  names  which  are  polite  synonyms  for  dolt  or  fool.  He 
was  kind  enough  to  say  or  insinuate  that  he  had  never  seen 
such  simplicity  before,  and  if  you  are  honest  my  son,  you  will 
say  about  the  same  thing." 

"You  certainly  are  very  simple-hearted  and  simple-man- 
nered. But  that,  Mr.  Andersen,  is  no  disgrace,  but  rather  a 
virtue  in  my  estimation.  Your  simple  life  in  the  lecture 
rooms  of  Upsala  could  hardly  impart  to  you  the  'finesse'  of  a 
Tallyrand  or  Macchiavelli,  but  I  tell  the  honest  truth,  when  I 
say  that  I  prefer  your  simplicity  to, their  cunning." 

"I  thank  you  sincerely,  my  son,  for  your  kind  criticism  ; 
but  you  must  confess  that  my  simplicity  disqualifies  me  greatly 
for  hunting  lost  maidens." 

"So  it  does,  Mr.  Andersen,  and  I  shall,  therefore,  take 
this  matter  in  hand  myself.  Did  you  ever  advertise  in  the 
great  journals  of  Plutopolis  ?  " 

"Not  extensively.  At  first  I  did  not  deem  this  necessary, 
and  when  I  finally  became  convinced  of  the  expediency  of 
such  a  measure,  I  lacked  the  means  to  resort  to  it." 

"Well,  I  shall  insert  an  advertisement  in  every  one  of  them 
to-morrow.  Let  me  see.  Bertha  Rasmussen,  age — how  old 
did  you  say?" 

"She  must  be  over  eighteen  now." 

"Eighteen  then ;  is  requested   to   communicate   without 


234  HITHER,  OR. 

delay  with  Gottlieb  Grad,  1591  Lemon  street,  Plutopolis,  if 
she  desires  to  learii  the  whereabouts  of  her  uncle,  Eric  Ander- 
sen." 

"You  think  this  indirect  communication  best?  " 

"Well,  it  answers  as  well  as  an}\  But  I  hear  Sophie  call- 
ing for  supper;  so  come  on." 

At  supper  the  conversation  turned  upon  the  Brotherhood 
and  its  principles.  When  Richard  emphasized  the  necessity 
of  enlightening  the  masses,  declaring  that  even  a  superficial 
knowledge  of  natural  science  was  calculated  to  dissipate  the 
darkness,  superstition  and  bigotry  still  befogging  so  many 
minds,  Mr.  Andersen  said :  "Mr.  Brown,  that  touches  my 
province.  I  have  delivered  many  such  lectures  as  you  sug- 
gest, at  home,  and  received  many  favorable  criticisms  regard- 
ing them.  If  you  think  that  my  feeble  efforts  in  that  line 
would  advance  your  cause,  I  would  be  only  too  happy  to  offer 
you  my  services.  Of  course  I  don't  talk  English  very  well, 
but  if  you  think — " 

"I  think  the  idea  is  superb,  and  we  shall  try  at  once,  only 
don't  make  the  thing  too  long  and  learned  at  first,  you  know, 
and  then  make  experiments,  that  arouses  their  interest." 

"I  understand,  and  think  I  could  gain  your  approbation. 
I  have  no  doubt  of  it  professor.  At  all  events,  with  your  per- 
mission, we  shall  try  to-morrow  night.  There  will  be  a 
general  meeting  in  National  Hall,  that  is,  quite  a  crowd.  If 
you  need  anything  for  your  experiments,  write  it  down  and  I 
shall  procure  it  to-morrow.  Have  you  thought  of  the  sub- 
ject you  will  present  to  the  audience." 

"Yes,  Richard.  I  thought  of  reproducing  a  course  of 
lectures  I  once  delivered  at  home  with  great  success,  entitled 
'Chemistry,  Man's  Handmaid.'  Some  of  them  touch  upon 
the  various  trades  and  occupations  of  man;  others  on  house 
keeping,  touching  on  those  of  women,  all  of  them  showing  the 
value,  nay  the  necessity  of  the  knowledge  of  chemistry  in  even 
the  humblest  vocations." 

"An  excellent  subject,  Mr.  Andersen.     If  you    can  show 


EITHER,  OR.  235 

the  necessity  to  our  friends,  you  will  do  them  a  great  service 
and  at  the  same  time  enable  our  cause." 

"Please  inform  me  a  few  days  before  hand,  when  you  in- 
tend speaking  on  housekeeping  to  enable  me  to  inform  our 
sisters  and  thus  secure  a  full  attendance." 

In  the  morning  Richard  called  at  the  various  newspaper 
offices  and  arranged  for  the  advertisement  in  question.  Later 
he  called  at  the  Swedish  Consulate  to  interview  its  head,  and 
urge  a  more  zealous  attendance  to  Andersen's  case.  He  found 
the  consul  ready  to  make  fun  of  the  matter  and  take  it  very 
lightly.  Richard's  seriousness,  however,  stopped  this  levity 
at  once. 

"Professor  Andersen's  simplicity,"  he  said  impressively, 
"entitles  him  to  the  consideration  of  all  men,  and  especially 
his  countrymen,  as  it  originates  with  the  faithful  and  long  con- 
tinued services  to  his  country.  He  had  no  time  to  learn  the 
ways  of  the  world,  and  this  ignorance  instead  of  being  made  a 
subject  of  sport,  should  secure  to  him  the  respectful  and  cheer- 
ful assistance  of  all  men.  I  have  no  doubt  that  the  govern- 
ment of  Sweden  entertains  these  views,  and  would  readily  and 
earnestly  rebuke  any  negligence  or  levit}r  of  its  servants  in 
this  case." 

The  consul  listened  attentively  and  promised  to  exert  his 
influence  in  Andersen's  behalf,  adding  that  he  expected  to  be 
able  to  secure  for  him  a  prolongation  of  his  furlough,  and 
closing  with  the  promise  to  send  to  the  professor's  present  ad- 
dress any  mail  which  might  arrive  for  him. 

Next  he  purchased  the  jars,  lamps  and  chemicals  which 
Andersen  had  ordered,  and  then  secured  for  him  a  plain  but 
becoming  suit  of  black  cloth  in  which  to  appear  before  his 
audience  that  night.  He  knew  the  importance  which  a  su- 
perficial world  puts  upon  appearances  and  was  determined  to 
aid  to  the  best  of  his  ability,  the  debut  of  his  old  friend.  In 
the  afternoon  he  plied  his  old  vocation,  visiting  places  which 
had  hitherto  escaped  his  attention,  or  others,  where  encourage- 
ment or  information  was  needed,  and  only  returned  to  the 
grocery  when  the  clocks  on  the  steeples  pointed   to  the  hour 


236  EITHER,  OR. 

of  supper.  At  seven  he  put  the  professor's  apparatus  in  the 
spring  wagon,  invited  that  worthy  to  a  seat  at  his  side  , 
and  drove  to  the  hall.  The  meeting  was  called  at  eight, 
and  when  our  friends  entered  the  hall  they  found  it 
well  filled,  the  men  standing  or  setting  in  groups,  con- 
versing, and  waiting  for  the  call  to  order.  It  was 
given  precisely  at  eight,  and  obeyed  with  an  alacrity  pleas- 
ant to  behold.  Richard  had  endeavored  so  instill  from 
the  start,  the  necessity  of  order  and  dispatch,  claim- 
ing that  a  '  quiet  and  orderly  conduct  would  not  only 
secure  them  the  approbation  of  the  public,  but  go  far  to 
silence  the  apprehension  of  timid  croakers.  The  business  of 
the  order  was  first  attended  to,  occupying  a  little  over  half  an 
hour.  When  it  was  over  the  president  rapped  on  his  desk 
with  his  gavel,  and  informed  the  meeting  that  Brother  Brown 
wished  to  say  a  few  words.  A  general  hush  followed  this  an- 
nouncement, and  when  Richard  stepped  to  the  front,  the  drop- 
ping of  a  pin  might  have  been  heard.  This  token  of  respect 
and  interest,  was,  no  doubt,  mainly  due  to  the  universal 
regard  in  which  our  friend  was  held  by  his  associates,  but  also 
to  his  eloquence,  intelligence  and  sagacity.  Richard  had 
from  the  start  remembered  the  adage  that  "familiarity  begets 
contempt."  While  he  had  addressed  these  men  quite 
frequently,  he  had  taken  pains  not  to  tire  them  with  his 
orations,  thus  insuring  a  freshness  impossible  with  a  daily 
repetition.  Nor  had  he  ever  addressed  his  associates,  unless 
he  had  really  something  to  say,  a  policy  whose  pursuit  now 
and  always  secured  for  him  their  undivided  attention.  He 
said: 

"Friends  and  Brethren  :  You  have  often  heard  me  say, 
and  are  likely  to  hear  me  say  again  and  again,  that  no  eleva- 
tion of  the  workingmen,  no  redress  of  their  wrongs,  no  ad- 
vancement of  their  interests  can  possibly  be  secured  without 
enlightenment  and  the  acquisition  of  useful  knowledge.  It 
is  mainly  the  superior  knowledge,  skill  and  education,  which 
has  enabled  capitalists  to  usurp  the  rights  of  the  masses,  and 
only  by  our  endeavors  in   that  direction  can  we  hope,  nay  ex- 


EITHER,  OR.  237 

pect,  to  compete  with  them,  and  compel  them  finally  to  respect 
our  claims.  Your  general  conduct  proves  that  you  are  not 
only  deeply  impressed  with  the  necessity  of  the  dissemination 
of  knowledge  in  our  ranks,  but  also  bound  and  determined  to 
secure  the  advantage  accruing  therefrom.  You  have  bene- 
fitted by  every  opportunity  which  offered,  to  perfect  your- 
selves in  political  economy,  in  the  sciences  bearing  most 
directly  upon  the  interests  of  our  race,  and  also  those  physical 
exercises  calculated  to  quaiify  the  body  for  the  endurance  of 
hardships,  or  the  defense  and  securement  of  our  inalienable 
rights.  This  being  the  case,  it  gives  me  great  satisfaction  to 
inform  you  to-night,  that  I  have  been  offered  the  services  of  a 
gentlemen,  who,  for  nearly  a  half  century,  has  made  the 
teaching  of  chemistry  the  business  of  his  life,  and  now  vol- 
unteers to  give  us  a  number  of  lectures  on  this  most  important 
of  all  modern  sciences,  lectures  to  be  adapted  to  our  wants  and 
intermingled  with  experiments.  The  gentleman  is  a  native 
of  Sweden,  and  has  requested  me  to  remind  you  that  he  has 
mastered  our  language  by  study  in  late  years,  begging  your 
indulgence  for  inaccuracies  and  imperfections  he  may  betray. 
And  now  permit  me  to  introduce  to  you  and  your  considera- 
tion my  friend,  Professor  Eric  Andersen,  of  the  University  of 
Upsala." 

Mr.  Andersen  stepped  forward,  made  his  bow  and  began 
his  remarks,  which  not  only  captivated  the  audience  from  the 
beginning,  but  created  the  undivided  astonishment  of  our 
friend.  Was  this  really  the  same  man  that  had  been  made 
the  sport  of  roughs,  the  same  man  that  had  betrayed  a  sim- 
plicity laughable  in  the  eyes  of  even  a  child?  It  seemed  as  if 
the  stepping  upon  the  platform  had,  as  it  were,  transformed 
him.  His  simplicity  had  become  frankness,  his  credulity, 
confidence.  Even  his  language  had  undergone  a  change,  be- 
ing broader,  more  comprehensive  and  appropriate.  Of  course, 
his  foreign  accent  remained,  but  this  accent,  instead  of  hurt- 
ing his  delivery,  only  gave  it  a  piquancy,  which  lent  it  an  ad- 
ditional charm.  Before  the  professor  had  spoken  five  minutes, 
Richard  perceived  that  he  was  a  complete  master  of  the  sub- 


238  EITHER,  OR. 

ject  he  had  chosen.  Andersen  did  not  only  know  what  he 
was  talking  about,  but  he  interspersed  his  remarks  with  such 
genuine  humor,  and  spiced  them  with  so  many  telling  anec- 
dotes, that  his  audience  uttered  an  involuntary  "ah"  of  regret, 
when  the  professor  closed  his  lecture  at  the  expiration  of  an 
hour.  Richard  warmly  pressed  his  hands,  and  thanked  him 
most  cordially  for  the  splendid  effort  with  which  he  had  en- 
tertained the  brotherhood,  while  our  friend  in  turn  was  heart- 
ily congratulated  upon  the  procurement  of  a  person  that 
promised  to  prove  a  phoenix  amongst'  lecturers.  The  hap- 
piest in  the  crowd,  however,  was  Andersen  himself.  A  deep 
satisfaction  filled  his  heart,  the  consciousness  of  being  able  to 
thus  repay  the  kindness  of  his  young  friend  and  rescuer  from 
want  and  abuse.  He  proposed  nightly  repetitions  of  the  lec- 
ture, but  Richard  put  in  his  veto,  saying:  "You  are  too  prec- 
ious an  acquisition  to  exhaust  your  strength  in  such  frenzied 
efforts.  Besides,  familiarity  breeds  contempt.  No,  no,  my 
dear  sir,  you  take  life  easy  now.  If  you  give  us  a  lecture 
once,  or  at  most  twice  a  week,  you  do  all  you  ought  to  do. 
Remember,  you  are  no  longer  a  boy." 

"Only  sixty-nine,"  the  professor  said  with  a  laugh. 

"An  old  boy,  then,  at  the  least.  But  here  we  are  at  home. 
I  hope  you  will  sleep  easy  on  your  laurels." 

We  must  pursue  the  same  policy  with  the  professor,  as 
with  Richard  and  the  other  characters  of  our  tale,  i,  e.,  give 
him  an  occasional  notice,  when  time  and  opportunity  permit. 
As  we  shall  probably  lose  sight  of  him  for  a  while,  at  least, 
we  may  as  well  add  here,  that  his  first  lecture  to  the  sisters  of 
the  brotherhood  was  even  a  greater  success,  than  the  first  one. 
Richard  had  taken  pains  to  advertise  this  lecture  of  "the 
chemistry  on  cookery"  extensively,  partly  in  the  little  weekly 
organ  of  the  brotherhood,  which  had  been  started  lately,  to 
cement  more  firmly  the  individual  members,  and  partly  in  the 
press  of  the  city  generally.  In  consequence,  the  hall  was 
packed  with  the  flower  of  the  fair  sex  that  night,  with  a 
sprinkling  of  the  sterner  sex,  which  we  fear,  was  more  at- 
tracted by  the  ladies,  than  the  lecture.     Richard  duly  intro- 


EITHER,  OR.  239 

duced  his  friend,  who  then  gave  the  ladies  a  harangue,  bal- 
ancing so  cleverly  between  dry  science  and  trite  common 
places,  that  they  were  not  merely  delighted,  but  greatly  bene- 
fitted by  his  words.  These  two  lectures  insured  his  fame. 
The  house  was  packed  every  time  he  spoke,  nor  could  even 
bad  winter  nights  deter  the  people  from  drinking  knowledge 
from  lips  so  eloquent,  humorous  and  benevolent.  Richard  told 
Andersen  more  than  once,  that  these  lectures  did  not  only 
spread  much  useful  information  amongst  the  people,  but  in- 
creased the  membership,  especially  of  the  sisters, in  an  astonish- 
ing degree.  Our  friend,  however,  had  long  since  ceased  to  won- 
der at  this  marvelous  growth.  He  had  learned  that  the  subject 
had  only  to  be  presented  to  the  people  in  the  proper  light, 
to  bring  conviction  and  subsequently  support.  At  first  he  had 
attended  to  the  correspondence  with  outside  lodges ;  but 
gradually  the  work  had  assumed  such  proportions  that  a 
salaried  secretary  had  to  be  appointed,  whose  duty  it  was  to 
answer  queries  and  communicate  facts.  He  was  not  greatly 
surprised  to  learn  from  this  official  at  the  end  of  the  second 
year  of  the  existence  of  the  order,  that  a  careful  count  placed 
the  membership  at  nearly  two  millions,  full}'  one  third  being 
women. 

It  was  on  the  morning  after  Andersen's  first  lecture  that 
Richard  passed  Mr.  Stitch's  shop,  and  was  called  in  by  that 
gentleman. 

"That  was  a  fine  treat  you  gave  us  last  night,  Dick,"  he 
said,  after  the  first  greeting ;  "where  in  the  world  did  you 
fish  for  that  fellow?" 

"On  dry  land,  Mr.  Stitch." 

"Well,  he  is  a  caution.  The  way  he  brings  those  fine 
words  out  is  a  surprise  to  me.  But  see  here  Brown,  did  you 
hear  of  the  trouble  they  had  in  Irishtown  last  night?  " 

"I  did  not.     What  was  the  matter?" 

"Oh,  well,  I  reckon  our  teachings  have  crazed  some  of 
those  ignorant  chaps,  for  they  claim  that  the  distribution  of 
all  the  good  things  is  at  hand,  and  threaten  to  call  upon  the 
rich  to  hand  over  their  surplus." 


240  HITHER,  OR. 

"Poor  cranks.  That  proves  plainly  that  without  knowl- 
edge, ideas  may  prove  dangerous." 

"So  they  be,  Dick,  and  no  mistake.  It  is  like  a  child's 
playing  with  fire — it  may  set  the  town  on  fire." 

"Yes,  and  get  burnt  itself.  I  trust  the  folks  of  Dennis 
Court  are  not  amongst  these  fanatics?  " 

"Not  they,  not  they.  I  tell  you  a  wonderful  change  has 
come  over  those  people,  and  one  hardly  recognizes  in  them 
the  doleful  set  of  two  years  ago.  No,  it  is  them  vagabonds  two 
or  three  streets  further  back,  as  make  the  trouble." 

"Well,  I  shall  go  there  to-night  and  see  for  myself." 

"Yes  go,  you  have  a  powerful  influence  over  them  Dick, 
and  will,  no  doubt,  use  it  to  good  advantage.  I  tell  you  this 
is  a  disgrace  for  the  brotherhood,  and  I  am  in  for  quelling  the 
mob  by  main  force,  if  they  refuse  to  listen  to  reason." 

"Well,  such  force  is  as  dangerous  as  the  evil ;  but  I  must 
go,  so  good  bye." 

That  evening  when  supper  was  over,  Richard  started  for 
the  quarter  which,  according  to  the  tailor's  story,  had  been 
the  scene  of  the  disturbances  the  night  before. 

They  could  hardly  have  been  as  serious  as  Stitch  inti- 
mated or  the  police  would  have  interfered.  True  he  had  been 
too  busy  to  read  the  local  news,  but  felt  sure  that  he  would 
have  heard  of  serious  outbreaks,  if  any  had  occurred. 
It  was  a  little  after  seven  when  he  reached  the 
neighborhood,  which  was  inhabited  almost  exclusively  by 
Irish,  that  is,  the  element"which,  according  to  the  tailor's  ac- 
count, had  caused  the  disturbance  and  was  likely  to  renew  it. 
He  met  with  no  scenes  of  manifest  disorder,  but  there  was  a 
more  than  usual  stir  among  the  inhabitants.  They  sat  in 
groups  on  their  door  steps,  stood  in  knots  around  the  lamp 
posts,  or  at  the  corners.  The  latter  consisted  mainly  of  men, 
and  when  Richard  approached  one  of  them,  he  was  accosted 
with  a  noisy — 

"Good  evening,  Misther  Brown."  , 

"Good  evening,"  our  friend  replied.  "What's  going  on? 
This  is  not  St.  Patrick's  day  in  the  morning?" 


EITHER,  OR.  241 

"No,  surr,  it  be  the  divil's  day  in  the  evenin'." 
A  shout  of  laughter  awarded  this  attempt  at  wit. 
"You  better  look  out  then,  my  good   fellow,  'tis  after  his 
imps  the  devil  is,  on  such  occasions." 

"Then,  what  is  it  ye  are  after  here,  Misther  Brown?      Is 
it  to  spy  out  our  doings,  ye  skulk  about  this  neighborhood?  " 
"You  must  be  drunk,  man,  to  talk  that  way.     You  surely 
do  not  know  me,  or  you  would  not  rave  such  nonsense." 

"May  be  I  would,  and  may  be  I  wouldn't.  It  is  a  civil 
tongue  I  would  advise  ye  to  keep  in  your  mouth  when  ye 
crape  around  here.     This  ain't  Dennis  Court,  you  know." 

The  others  winked  to  the  speaker  to  desist,  and  Richard, 
who  had  no  desire  whatever  to  pick  a  drunken  row,  proceeded 
on  his  way.      He  passed  the  Irish  quarter  and  entered  a  street 
principally    inhabited  by  Italians,    Hungarians  and  kindred 
nations  of  the  southeast    of  Europe.     Here  the  same  excite- 
ment prevailed,  but  as  he    could    not  understand  the  remarks 
of  the  people  as  he   passed,  he  only  conjectured  that  the  same 
cause  had  produced  the  same  effect,  viz.,  that  doctrines  sound 
and  harmless  in    themselves,  but    misunderstood  or   perhaps 
purposely  misconstrued,  had   stirred  these  ignorant  people  to 
a  depth  portending  evil  to  order  and  peace      What  should  he 
do^     Should  he  stop  and  argue   with  people  incapable  of  un- 
derstanding, and  much    less    comprehending  him  ?     It  would 
be  useless,  and  his  heart    was    heavy  and  oppressed,  as  he  re- 
traced his  steps,  and    finally   stopped    at    Dennis  Court.     He 
ascended  the  stairs  to  the  reading  room,  but    found  it  empty. 
He  picked  up  a  paper,  but  laid    it    down  as  quickly  as  he  had 
picked  it  up,  and  was  on  the  point  of  leaving  when  little  Fay 
came  in  and  gleefully  ran  up  to  her  lrieud. 
"Where  is  mamma,  Fay  ?  "  he  inquired. 
"Down  stairs  in  the  basement  to  get  supper  ready." 
"Well,  let  us  go  and  find  her.     I  want  to  speak  to  her." 
The  child  took    the    proffered    hand    and    together   they 
decended  the    stairs,  and    entered    the    basement,  where  they 
found  Mrs.  Duncan  superintending   as    usual.     After  shaking 
hands,  she  said:  "I  am  glad  you  came,  Dick.     I  fear  mischief 


242  EITHER.  OR. 

is  brewing  amongst  these  ignorant  people,  and  as  it  is 
through  the  misapprehension  of  your  teachings  that  this 
trouble  has  come,  it  is  but  right  that  you  should  know  of  it." 

ilI  heard  of  the  trouble,  Alice,  and  have  just  returned 
from  a  walk  through  the  rebellious  district.  I  found  the  peo- 
ple noisy,  but  orderly,  and  really  think  that  talk  is  all  the}7 
will  resort  to." 

"Mrs.  Murphy  does  not  think  so.  She  says  hard  times 
and  communistic  ideas  have  set  these  people  crazy,  and  she 
fears  that  they  think  of  sacking  and  robbing  the  houses  of  the 
wealthy  in  the  neighboring  ward.     There,  do  you  hear  that?" 

It  was  the  distant  sound  of  many  discordant  and  excited 
voices,  which  caused  this  question.  Richard  rose  hastily,  and 
was  on  the  point  of  dashing  from  the  building,  when  Alice 
took  his  hand  and  said  imploringly  :  "Do  not  expose  your- 
self rashly  and  foolishly,  Richard.  Stay  here,  these  premises 
may  soon  need  your  presence  and  protection." 

"I  cannot  stay,  Alice.  Tell  Jim  to  close  the  large  door 
of  the  gateway,  and  to  stay  on  the  premises.  I  must  find  out 
what  this  means,  and  perchance  prevent  mischief." 

He  hastened  in  the  direction  of  the  Irish  quarter,  guided 
by  the  ever  increasing  noise.  It  wras  half  after  eight  now, 
and,  short  though  his  absence  had  been,  the  scene  had  changed 
greatly  and  for  the  worse.  The  men  walked  in  squads  in  the 
middle  of  the  streets,  now  swinging  half  empty  bottles,  sing- 
ing songs  full  of  obscene  allusions,  and  uttering  threats 
against  all  who  possessed  wealth  and  refused  to  surrender  it. 
The  women  kept  more  on  the  side  walks,  but  they  were 
noisier  than  the  men,  swinging  like  them  bottles  with  dubious 
contents  evidently  stronger  than  water,  verifying  Schiller's 
words,  when  he  says : 

"Da  werden  Weiber  zu  Hyaenen,  und  treiben  mit  Entset- 
sen  Sherz." 

Just  at  that  moment  Richard  approached  a  place  where 
an  alley  opens  into  the  larger  street.  From  this  alley  there 
dashed  a  carriage  with  a  coachman  on  the  box,  whose  palid 
face  betrayed  fear  and  consternation.     He  whipped  his  horses 


EITHER,  OR.  243 

as  if  his  life  depended  upon  their  speed.  He  described  so 
short  a  curve  on  reaching  the  wider  streets  that  the  inside 
wheels  were  raised  from  the  ground,  the  vehicle  threatening 
to  upset  for  quite  a  while.  The  coachman  leaned  heavily  to 
the  left,  until  the  carriage  righted,  when  once  more  he  whipped 
his  horses,  dashing  through  the  crowd  without  any  regard  to 
their  safety,  until  he  disappeared  in  the  distance.  Richard 
saw  how  the  maddened  crowd  picked  up  cobble  stones  and 
flung  them  after  the  carriage,  but  he  failed  to  notice  whether 
these  missiles  did  any  harm,  for  at  that  moment  he  reached 
the  corner  formed  by  the  street  and  the  alley,  and  looking 
down  the  latter  saw  a  spectacle  so  thrilling  as  to  rivet  itself 
indelibly  upon  his  brain. 

About  thirty  feet  from  the  corner  a  solitary  lamp  shed  its 
light  upon  the  nearest  surroundings,  its  light  forming  a  strik- 
ing contrast  with  the  darkness  behind.  This  lamp  was  not 
placed  upon  a  post  like  most  street  lamps,  but  on  a  bracket 
protruding  three  or  four  feet  from  the  wall  to  the  building. 
The  lighted  place  was  filled  with  women,  but  women  so  full 
of  whiskey,  and  consequently  so  infuriated  as  hardly  to 
deserve  the  name.  In  their  midst  stood  a  young  woman — a 
girl  hardly  older  than  eighteen,  clad  in  the  materials  used  by 
the  richer  classes.  Her  head  was  bare,  but  a  bonnet  of  costly 
material  which  an  old  hag  swung  threateningly  in  her  face, 
showed  that  this  head  cover  had  probably  been  hers  but 
snatched  away  in  rough  fashion,  as  braids  of  rich  blond  hair 
had  fallen  down  her  bosom,  reaching  far  below  her  waist.  A 
jacket  in  which  she  was  clad  had  partly  shared  the  fate  of  the 
bonnet,  for  one  sleeve  had  disappeared  and  the  other  was  torn 
to  its  full  length.  All  these  things,  however,  engaged  Rich- 
ard's attention  only  a  moment,  for  the  face  of  the  girl  soon  at- 
tracted and  held  his  gaze  as  if  by  magic. 

She  was  a  blonde,  her  disheveled  hair  gleaming  in  the 
light  like  gold,  and  her  pure  and  clear  complexion  contrasting 
strangely  with  the  darkness  behind.  Her  face  was  pale,  her 
lips  compressed,  and  her  eyes  fixed  upon  the  hags  around 
her,  who  seemed  to  fascinate  her  much  as  the  rattle  snake  is 


244  EITHER,  OR. 

said  to  fascinate  little  birds  within  its  reach.  Richard  took  in 
this  sight  like  one  in  a  dream,  but  suddently  the  aggressive 
movements  of  the  hags  recalled  him  to  the  full  consciousness 
of  the  situation,  and  the  necessity  of  speedy  action,  if  he  did 
not  want  to  see  this  victim  torn  to  fragments  by  the  mob.  He 
hurried  forward,  and  was  just  on  the  point  of  breaking  through 
the  circle  formed  by  the  hags,  when  he  heard  her  say  with  a 
sweet  but  firm  and  strangely  calm  voice  :  "My  friends,  why 
do  you  treat  me  in  this  way?" 

"And  it  is  yer  friends,  indade  we  be,  darling,"  cried  the 
woman,  swinging  the  bonnet  in  her  hand.  "We  love  yer  so, 
that  we  shall  take  care  of  all  them  purty  things  for  ye." 

"I'll  take  care  of  this  purty  pin  for  yer." 

With  these  words  she  snatched  at  the  jeweled  breast-pin, 
holding"  together  the  fragments  of  the  jacket,  while  another 
made  a  dive  at  one  of  the  earrings,  and  would  probably  have 
torn  it  from  the  ear,  if  Richard's  hand  had  not  interfered  in 
season.  Seizing  the  two  hags,  one  with  one  hand,  and  the 
second  with  the  other,  he  swung  them  back  with  a  force  which 
caused  them  and  others  behind  them  to  tumble,  and  then 
cried  sternly  :  "Back,  you  friends.  Are  you  crazy,  to  thus 
treat  a  human  being?  Back,  I  say,  and  out  of  the  way,  or, 
by  jove,  I'll  crush  you  like  so  many  adders  !" 

The  crowd  recoiled,  partly  on  account  of  the  suddenness 
of  the  interruption  of  their  sport,  partly  on  account  of  the 
recognition  of  the  intruder.  "  'Tis  the  tinker,"  some  of  them 
cried,  increasing  the  distance  from  an  adversary,  whose  pow- 
ers had  resounded  through  the  neighborhood.  Richard  was 
aware  that  this  awe  would  probably  last  only  a  short  time, 
and  undoubtedly  be  drowned  in  the  fumes  of  whiskey.  He 
knew  also,  that  many  hounds  are  the  death  of  the  hare,  and 
that,  once  pursued  by  these  infuriated  hags,  and  impeded  by 
the  care  for  his  protege,  her  escape  at  least  would  be  highly 
problematical.  He  therefore  seized  her  hand,  and  said  hur- 
riedly, while  drawing  her  deeper  into  the  shade  of  the  alley : 
"This    way,    madam.     And    now   be    quick,   for    when    these 


EITHER,  OR.  245 

devils  have  recovered  from  their   shock,  and  start  in  pursuit, 
your  life  will  not  be  worth  much,  I  assure  you." 

"Nor  yours,  either,"  she  replied  with  her  former  calmness, 
"You  must  not  imperil  it  by  loitering  with  me." 

"Nonsense,"  he  exclaimed  impatiently,  as  if  shocked  at 
the  very  idea  of  such  an  imputation,  and  pulling  her  along  as 
fast  as  he  could  without  hurting  her.  "Hurry,  I  say,  or  they 
will  be  upon  us  before  we  know  it.  There,"  he  added,  looking 
behind,  but  still  dragging  her  along,  "I  told  you  they  would 
be  after  us.  Run  for  your  life,  and  get  out  of  this  quarter  as 
fast  as  your  feet  will  carry  you,  while  I  make  a  stand  and  beat 
them  back.     Run  I  tell  you." 

He  had  no  time  to  see  whether  his  injunction  was  obeyed, 
for  at  this  very  moment  the  drunken  host  came  in  sight  whoop- 
ing, yelling  and  screaming  in  a  fashion  which  would  have  done 
credit  to  a  legion  of  imps.  They  rushed  forward  with  reck- 
lessness, which  Richard  would  undoubtedly  have  admired  on 
another  occasion  and  in  a  nobler  cause.  As  it  was,  he  had  no 
time  for  sentiments  of  any  kind,  for  the  foremost  hag  made  a 
dive  at  his  face  and  would  probably  have  scratched  out  his 
eyes,  if  he  had  given  her  time.  He  saw  plainly  that  this  was 
no  occasion  for  a  display  of  gallantry,  and  that  even  a  passive 
resistence  would  probably  result  in  loss  of  limb,  if  not  of  life. 
So  he  gave  the  foremost  hag  a  blow  which  sent  her  spinning 
to  the  dust.  A  second  one  took  her  place,  and  once  more  sharp 
nails  aimed  at  the  destruction  of  his  organs  of  sight.  A 
second  blow — a  second  fall;  but  still  they  came  whooping,  yell- 
ing and  gnashing  their  teeth  in  fury.  His  hands  rose  and  fell 
like  sledgehammers,  every  blow  increasing  the  pile  at  his  feet. 
But  now  he  perceived  that  some  endeavored  to  pass  him, 
with  the  evident  intention  of  attacking  him  in  the  rear.  He 
set  his  teeth  firmly,  wishing  for  a  hundred  arms,  but  feeling 
that  they  would  surely  encompass  him,  and  start  in  pursuit  of 
the  woman  he  had  succored  with  so  much  risk  and  so  much 
bravery,  when  suddenly  a  well  known  voice  struck  his  ears, 
crying  :  "Take  courage,  Misther  Brown,  the  by's  of  Dennis 
Court  be  coming  to  the  rescue." 


246  EITHER,  OR. 

Then  there  was  an  onset  on  the  hostile  forces  in  front  of 
him,  followed  by  a  wholesale  slaughter,  and  then  Jim  Murphy, 
with  half  a  dozen  other  tenants  of  the  Court  rushed  forth,  and 
surrounded  our  friend,  who  smiled  pleasantly,  saying:  "Thanks, 
my  lads,  I  won't  forget  this  very  soon." 

"That's  all  roight,  Misther  Brown,  but  ef  you'll  take  my 
advice,  you  won't  stay  here  very  long,  you  won't.  The  very 
air  is  full  with  them  she  devils,  an'  ef  we  stay  long  we'll  have 
more  of  them  at  our  hails,  nor  we  can  manage.  But  who  is 
this  little  gal,  surr?  " 

Richard  looked  quickly  round  and  discovered  to  his  sur- 
prise the  lady,  whom  he  believed  far  away. 

"Did  I  not  tell  you  to  run  for  your  life?''  he  asked,  almost 
sternly. 

"You  did,"  she  replied  gently,  "but  I  could  not  do  it.  I 
could  not  have  forsaken  you,  if  I  had  tried." 

A  queer  sensation  filled  Richard's  heart  at  these  words 
so  simple  and  yet  so  grand.  He  felt  sorely  tempted  to  scold, 
knowing  full  well  that  this  disobedience  might  still  involve 
this  girl's  life,  but  he  could  not  find  in  his  heart  to  chide  this 
brave  girl.  If  exer  there  was  a  heroine  she  deserved  the  title. 
For  a  moment  he  stood  irresolute,  meditating  on  the  best  way 
ot  getting  out  of  their  dilemma.  Suddenly  he  said  :  "Here, 
don  this  coat  of  mine,  then  gather  your  braids,  and  force  them 
under  this  hat.  So,  now  boys,  close  around  her,  and  let  us 
see  whether  we  can  get  out  of  this  scrape.  Stay  in  the  dark 
as  much  as  you  can.     Forward!" 

On  they  went,  following  the  alley  to  its  intersection  with 
the  next  street,  where  they  turned  to  the  left,  mixing  with  the 
masses  floating  like  a  stormy  sea  up  and  down  the  streets. 
These  were  foes  as  well,  but  foes  ignorant  of  their  prey,  and 
harmless  until  their  discovery.  "Shout  like  the  best  of  them, 
Jim,"  Richard  whispered  in  his  friend's  ear,  while  he  himself 
began  a  boisterous  song  in  a  voice  thick  with  pretended 
drunkenness.  This  ruse  secured  the  approbation  of  the  crowd 
and  consequently  the  comparative  safety  of  our  party,  although 
Richard  did  not  breathe  freely,  until  the  riotous  quarter  lay 


EITHER,  OR.  247 

behind  them,  and  the  natural  stillness  of  the  night  once  more 
surrounded  them. 

"That  will  do,  friends."  Richard  addressed  his  helpers. 
"I'll  thank  you  some  other  time.  Now  your  presence  may  be 
needed  at  the  court.  To-morrow  morning  I  shall  call  there, 
to  pay  my  debt." 

"Now,  don't  yer  be  talking  that  there  way,  Misther 
Brown.  Can't  ye  give  a  feller  a  chance  of  showing  his  grati- 
fication ;"  he  meant  gratitude.  "Ye  must  not  spake  about  pay- 
in',  unless  yer  mean  to  make  us  mad,  surr." 

"That's    what,    Misther    Brown,"    the  other    chimed  in. 

Richard  was  deeply  touched.  "All  right  then,  friends.  But 
now  you  must  go  to  the  court.     Good  night,  boys." 

"And  now,  where  can  I  take  you?  I  suppose  the  fellow 
who  ran  away  with  the  carriage  is  your  coachman?" 

"He  was,  sir." 

"But  what  possessed  you  to  venture  into  that  human 
vortex?     Didn't  you  know  your  life  would  be  imperiled?" 

"I  did  not  know  it  would  be  so  bad  as  that,"  she  said 
simply.  "I  had  heard  that  there  were  needy  people  in  that 
ward,  and  went  to  offer  them  my  assistance." 

"That  was  very  kind,  but  greatly  more  imprudent.  I 
shudder  at  the  thought  of  your  probable  fate,  if  you  had 
fallen  into  the  hands  of  these  intoxicated  men  .  Death  ! 
Mere  death  would  have  been  a  blessing  in  comparison." 

He  felt  her    arm  tremble   in   his,  but  she  did   not  reply. 

"Where  shall  I  take  you  to  ?"  he  asked  again. 

She  thought  a  moment,  then  replied  :  "Take  me  to  the 
street  car  line,  to  Palace  street,  if  you  please.  But  let  me 
first  return  your  coat  and  hat.  I  will  tie  this  handkerchief 
over  my  hair  to  avoid  inquiries." 

He  relieved  her  of  his  garment,  which  he  put  on,  then 
took  his  hat,  and  said  :     "Come." 

The  walk  to  the  line  in  question  consumed  only  a  few 
minutes.  Just  as  they  reached  it  a  car  passed,  and  stopped 
on  being  hailed  by  Richard.  He  assisted  her  to  the  steps, 
when  she  inquired  :     "Won't  you  tell  me  your  name?" 


24S  EITHER.  OR. 

Richard  hesitated.  Why  should  she  know  his  name,  the 
name  of  a  tinker,  she  the  daughter  of  a  wealthy  family,  no 
doubt?  But  she  had  asked  it,  so  he  said  half  aloud:  "Richard 
Brown." 

While  he  was  speaking,  the  conductor  pulled  the  bell, 
and  this  noise,  together  with  that  produced  by  the  starting  of 
the  car,  drowned  his  voice  to  such  an  extent,  that  he  felt  sure 
the  girl  had  not  understood  him.  Nor  did  he  care  much,  for, 
when  we  state  that  the  pale,  resolute  face  haunted  him  on  his 
way  home,  and  for  many  a  day  to  come,  we  do  not  mean  to 
insinuate  that  his  heart  played  any  role  in  these  visions.  He 
admired  the  courage  and  firmness  of  a  creature  evidently 
frail  and  delicate,  that  was  all.  If  you  had  asked  him  to  de- 
scribe her  features,  he  would  probably  have  failed,  but  never- 
theless the  pale  figure,  so  calm  and  collected,  so  firm  and  so 
frail,  so  elevated  above  the  brutality  of  its  surroundings,  re- 
mained indelibly  engraved  on  his  mind,  and  he  treasured  it  as 
a  precious  memento,  as  something  calculated  to  inspire  and 
stimulate,  although  he  did  not  expect  or  care  to  meet  the  or- 
iginal again  on  the  intricate  paths  of  an  uncertain  existence. 


CHAPTER   XV. 


THE    BRUTALITIES    OF    THE    RICH. 

When  Richard  glanced  over  the  columns  of  the  papers 
the  next  morning,  he  noticed  sensational  accounts  of  last 
night's  disturbances,  accompanied  in  most  cases  by  leaders 
denouncing  the  new-fangled  doctrines,  causing  them  and  the 
leaders  who  insisted  on  preaching  them  to  the  masses.  A 
few  conservative  journals  went  even  so  far  as  to  counsel  the 
prosecution  of  these  dangerous  innovators,  and  one,  known 
lor  its  ultramontane  tendencies,  plainly  intimated  the  neces- 
sity of  a  considerable  increase  of  the  regular  army  as  the  only 
means  of  preserving  order  and  security  of  property  and  life. 


EITHER,  OR.  249 

It  closed  by  relating  an  interview,  which  one  of  its  reporters 
had  had  with  the  eminent  statesman,  Senator  Cheatham.  In 
this  interview  the  Senator  had  said,  that  such  a  measure 
was  absolutely  necessary,  and  that  he  was  prepared  to  intro- 
duce a  bill  to  that  effect  in  the  Senate,  as  soon  as  the  next 
Congress  would  convene. 

Richard  dropped  the  paper  in  disgust,  but  his  brow  was 
pensive,  and  he  sat  in  meditation  for  quite  a  while.  Then 
he  muttered  to  himself:  "All  right,  Mr.  Senator,  go  ahead. 
Mines  call  for  counter-mines.  Let  us  see  who  will  succeed  in 
blowing  the  other  out  of  the  saddle." 

Then  he  seized  the  pen  and  wrote  the  following  lines, 
which  appeared  in  the  next  issue  of  the  "Sentinel"  the  organ 
of  the  brotherhood: 

"We  were  very  sorry,  when  we  heard  of  the  excesses  in  the 
Tenth  ward,  last  Wednesday,  as  they  can  be  indirectly  traced 
to  the  doctrines  promulgated  by  this  paper,  but  we  were  in- 
finitely more  sorry,  when  we  read  the  subsequent  leaders  of 
our  press  on  this  subject.  We  have  always  thought  that  fair- 
ness and  impartiality  form  one  ol  the  mostvital,  nay  indispen- 
sible  traits  of  a  journal,  and  therefore  regret  exceedingly  to 
be  compelled  to  state,  that  this  trait  is  absolutely  wanting  in 
the  articles  alluded  to.  Our  colleagues  know,  or  ought  to 
know  at  least,  that  the  brotherhood  condemns  such  outbreaks 
as  much  as  the  most  conservative  paper  in  the  country.  It 
has  shown  this  aversion  to  lawlessness  on  every  occasion. 
We  need  hardly  call  the  attention  of  the  public  to  the 
incidents  of  the  bread  riot  of  last  winter,  or  the  great  fire,  a 
few  months  later.  On  both  occasions  it  was  our  brotherhood 
which  preserved  order,  when  the  authorities  despaired  of  such 
a  possibility,  and  the  brotherhood  can,  and  will  again  offer  its 
services  for  such  a  purpose,  when  the  necessity  arises. 

But  it  is  the  doctrines  we  preach  which  cause  these  up- 
heavings,  you  say,  but  your  assertion  is  only  negatively  true, 
for  it  is  not  the  promulgation  of  these  doctrines,  but  their 
criminal  suppression  for  ages  which  has  produced  the  brutality 
manifested  in    these  outbursts.     We  teach    that  all    men  are 


250  HITHER,  OR. 

born  equal,  and  possessed  of  equal  rights.  Dare  you  deny  the 
correctness  of  this  principle  ?  You  dare  not.  You  admit  its 
justice  in  the  abstracts,  but  refuse  its  application  to  present 
circumstances.  We  say  that  all  men  are  bound  to  work  for 
and  in  the  interest  of  humanity.  Do  you  deny  the  correct- 
ness of  this  principle?  You  dare  not,  but  you  say  :  "Some 
of  us  let  their  wealth  work  for  them,  which  is  equal  to  saying: 
some  of  us  appropriated  an  undue  share  of  the  profits  of 
labor,  and  now  use  these  unfair  profits  to  live  in  ease  and 
luxury,  thereby  doubling  the  burden  of  our  less  fortunate  or 
maybe,  more  scrupulous  and  conscientious  fellows."  We  re- 
peat, it  is  the  long  suppression  of  these  doctrines  which  has 
done  the  mischief.  It  is  true,  their  promulgation  upsets  the 
judgment  of  some  of  the  victims  of  society,  because  society 
has  withheld  from  them  the  means  of  progress  and  enlighten- 
ment, but  we  ask  all  fair  minded  men  w7ho  bears  the  blame, 
the  withholder  or  the  restorer?  The  giving  of  healthy  food 
to  a  starving  man  may  endanger  his  life,  but  its  prolonged 
withdrawal,  will  surely  kill  him.  Is  it  therefore  not  better  to 
run  the  smaller  risk,  remembering  all  the  while  that  the  re- 
fusal of  such  food  deprived  the  individual  of  self  control  ? 

Obnoxious  gases  rise  from  ill  drained  and  badly  sewered 
cities,  and  if  you  apply  a  match  to  these  gates  a  dreadful  ex- 
plosion will  occur.  Does  this  threatening  peril  justify  you 
to  withhold  light  and  fire  altogether,  thus  instituting  an 
eternal  night,  hostile  to  growth,  and  development  and  pro- 
gress ? 

Nay,  friends,  be  just ;  lay  the  blame  where  it  belongs,  and 
address  your  appeals  to  those  who  need  an  awakening  to  the 
grand  truths  of  the  day.  But  be  sure  to  blow  your  trumpet 
loud  enough,  for  even  that  of  Gabriel  is  hardly  powerful 
enough  to  rouse  some  of  the  Rip  Van  Winkles  of  our  day." 

On  that  evening,  when  Richard  sought  his  aunt  as  usual, 
she  said  to  him:  "Dick,  your  affairs  are  becoming  so  com- 
plicated, not  to  say  entangled,  that  I  can  no  longer  manage 
them  successfully.  Would  it,  therefore,  not  be  wise  and 
proper,  if  Richard  Velder  came  home  from  his  extensive  trip 


EITHER,  OR.  251 

and  saw  to  his  affairs  for  a  while  at  least?  Dick  the  Tinker 
has  been  so  industrious  that  his  friends  can  well  afford  to  do 
without  him  for  a  month  or  two.  What  do  you  think  of  that, 
and  what  do  you  say  to  it?  " 

"That  the  suggestions  of  Mrs.  L,aura  Kean  are  very  timely 
and  appropriate.  Indeed,  Aunty,  I  have  held  similar 
views  for  some  time,  but  it  is  only  lately  that  things 
have  shaped  themselves  in  such  a  way  as  to  make  my  return 
feasible.  It  is  not  only  my  affairs  which  need  watching  and 
straightening,  but  public  affairs  as  well.  Our  foes  carry  them- 
selves with  schemes  calculated  to  bind  us  more  firmly,  and  it 
requires  the  intermingling  with  them  to  discover  and  foil 
their  plots.  So  you  may  look  for  an  early  departure  of  the 
tinker  for  the  West,  and  the  subsequent  arrival  of  Richard 
Velder." 

"Do  you  really  intend  going  west?  " 

"Yes,  aunt}-.  Duncan  needs  my  assistance,  and,  then 
there  should  be  a  real  arrival  of  the  other  chap,  don't  you 
see  ? ' ' 

"I  do  see,  and  hope  you  will  disappear  soon,  to  quicken 
the  arrival  of  mj'  nephew,  whom  I  have  not  met  publicly  for 
ever  so  long." 

"Well.     The  tinker  will  depart  the  day  after  to-morrow." 

He  did  go,  after  taking  such  steps  and  measures  as  an  absence 
of  several  months  seemed  to  demand.  Alice  was  both  sorry 
aud  glad  to  see  him  go;  sorry  because  she  would  miss  cheer- 
ing influence,  counsel  and  assistance;  glad  because  he  would 
see  her  husband,  and  probably  arrange  for  a  speedy  reunion 
of  the  little  family,  which  had,  however,  been  augmented 
by  the  arrival  of  a  boy.  Richard  spent  nearly  the  whole  day 
in  saying  adieu,  and  on  the  next  morning  was  whirled  towards 
Lakopolis,  where  he  arrived  in  safety  nearly  two  days  later, 
and  met  Duncan,  who  showed  an  almost  childish  joy  at  see- 
ing his  friend  and  co-worker.  They  drove  to  Duncan's  lodg- 
ings, where  they  spent  several  days  in  meditations  and  con- 
sultations with  other  leaders  of  the  brotherhood,  and  other 
work  connected  with  the  movement.     Richard  rejoiced  at  the 


252  EITHER,  OR. 

healthful  condition  of  the  order  in  that  city.  Its  members- 
were  more  enthusiastic  and,  in  may  instances  more  intelligent 
than  those  Richard  had  left  behind,  showing  plainly  that  the 
mental  growth  as  well  as  the  physical,  tended  westward.  The 
list  of  membership  was  fully  as  large,  and  many  thousands 
had  benefitted  by  Richard's  hint,  and  formed  into  companies 
of  militia.  Duncan  told  him  laughingly,  that  while  the  gov- 
ernor had  not  ventured  to  refuse  the  petition  for  arms,  he  had 
been  very  wary  not  to  call  these  companies  into  active 
service. 

"And  now,  Dick,  what  about  the  little  woman?"  Duncan 
inquired,  after  all  these  things  had  been  attended  to.  "Don't 
you  think  I  am  entitled  to  an  early  reunion  with  her  and  the 
little  ones? " 

"I  do  think  so,  most  earnestly  and  emphatically.  If  I 
send  them  here;  would  you  like  to  locate  permanently  in 
Ivakeopolis? " 

"Indeed  I  would.  There  is  more  life  and  stir  here  than 
in  the  east,  and  if  I  returned  there  I  would  be  afraid  of  shar- 
ing the  fate  of  Rip." 

"So  much  the  better,  for  you  are  needed  here.  But  what 
about  tinkering?  I  really  think  that  the  soldering  iron  and 
the  grindstone  have  outlived  their  usefulness  in  this  in- 
stance." 

"I  wouldn't  mind  dropping  them  Dick,"  the  other  replied, 
with  a  laugh.  "But  what  am  I  to  substitute?  I  am  more 
obnoxious  to  the  upper  crust  now,  than  ever  before." 

"Never  mind  the  upper  crust.  How  would  you  like  to 
start  a  gunshop,  Charley?" 

"A  gunshop,  Dick?"  the  other  said  startled  by  the  unex- 
pectedness of  the  suggestion.  "I  don't  know  the  first 
principles  of  the  art." 

"But  you  could  learn,  Stupid,  couldn't  you  ?  And  couldn't 
you  employ  other  men,  that  do?  " 

"Employ  men?     That   would  take    money,  and  money."' 

"See  here"  Richard  said  with  a  laugh,  shaking  his  friend's 
arm.     "You  say  living    here  sharpens  the  wit.      You  do  not 


EITHER,  OR.  253 

illustrate  the  truth  cjf  this  assertion.     Now  listen  attentively : 
The  brotherhood  needs    arms,  man}-  arms,  or    may    at  least 
need  them  soon.     I  have  a  few  thousand  left  which  I  will  ad- 
vance for  the  erection  of  a  gunshop  on  a  large  scale." 
"Ah!" 

"He  begins  to  see"  Richard  cried  laughing.  "Well  it 
was  about  time." 

"I  see  Dick,  I  see  as  well  as  any  blind  man  now,"  Duncan 
said  earnestly.  "The  idea  is  a  grand  one,  but  I  am  really  so 
green  in  the  art  of  gunmaking  that  I  shrink  from  taking  the 
responsibility." 

"Don't  be  foolish,  Charley.  Besides,  you  might  go  into  a 
shop  for  a  while." 

"You  forget  my  taint." 

"Go  as  a  volunteer,  willing  to  pay  if  necessary.  In  that 
way  you  will  find  no  difficulty." 

The  friends  discussed  the  further  details  of  the  plan,  and 
then  Richard  made  his  preparations  for  returning.  He  ap- 
plies soap  and  water  so  vigorously  to  his  hair  and  beard,  as  to 
remove  the  deep  brown,  and  restore  the  lighter  color  of  Mr. 
Velder.     Duncan  stood  by  in  utter  amazement. 

"You  have  been    playing  possum  all  this  time,"  he  cried. 

"And  why?" 

Richard  made  him  sit  down,  saying:  "You  have  earned 
my  confidence  and  shall  know  all.     Listen." 

He  then  gave  a  short  concise  account  of  his  history  and 
motives,  keeping  his  friend  in  a  continuous  wonder  and  ex- 
citement.    When  Richard  had  done  he  exclaimed. 

"Well,  if  that  don't  beat  all.  'Tis  a  real  novel,  only  more 
so.  Now  I  begin  to  understand  many  things  which  were  a 
little  mixed  and  dark  to  me.  I  thought  that  Mrs.  Keau  was 
mighty  accommodating  to  a  mere  tinker,  and  your  Mr.  Yelder 
rather  soft  in  squandering  his  money  in  such  a  loose  manner. 
I  see  it  all  now  Dick,  I  see  it  all,  and  switch  me  if  you  did  not 
manage  that  mighty  clever  but  you  were  right,  it  would  not 
have  done  to    admit  the  crowd  into    your  secret ;  they  would 


254  EITHER.  OR. 

have  either  distrusted  or  cheated  you.  Have  you  many  con- 
fidents?" 

"Only  Gottlieb  and  Sophie." 

"Well,  keep  it  there,  Dick,  keep  it  there.  You  are  safe 
with  me,  but  take  my  advice  and  let  the  thing  go  no  further.'* 

"Of  course  not,  but  now  farewell,  good  fellow.  I'll  come 
occasionally  and  see  how  you  get  along  in  gunsmithing." 

The  conductor  cried  "all  aboard,"  and  soon  our  friend 
wras  on  his  way  back  to  Plutopolis.  On  the  day  of  his  return 
the  papers  of  L,akeopolis  had  the  following  : 

"Mr.  Velder,  the  eminent  inventor  is  in  our  midst.  We 
learn  that  he  has  just  returned  from  an  extensive  trip  in 
foreign  countries,  and  is  on  his  way  to  Plutopolis  to  stay  there 
for  a  while,  at  least.    He  started  east  on  this  morning's  train." 

We  need  not  add  that  this  news  traveled  much  faster  than 
he,  and  reached  Plutopolis  long  before  his  arrival  there.  He 
hastened  home  without  loss  of  time,  and  beat  curious  reporters 
and  more  curious  acquaintances,  sufficiently  to  meet  and  greet 
his  friends  affectionately.  George  was  now  four  years  old, 
and  very  glad  to  see  his  long  missed  uncle.  Richard  had 
seen  his  sister  almost  every  day,  but  never  conversed  with  her, 
and  was  therefore  glad  to  find  her  mind  much  clearer,  and 
less  occupied  by  the  one  painful  thought  of  her  lost  husband. 
True,  she  spoke  of  him  but  as  one  dead,  and  Richard  enter- 
tained the  hope  that  a  few  more  years  would  fully  restore  the 
equilibrium  of  her  mind. 

Early  in  the  evening  a  card  was  handed  Richard,  who 
had  no  sooner  read  the  name,  than  he  exclaimed :  "Show  the 
gentleman  in,  Marie."  A  minute  later  Maxwell  stepped  into 
the  room,  and  was  warmly  welcomed  by  Richard,  who  .said 
pleasantly:  "Glad  to  see  you,  Maxwell.  Aunt  Laura,  this  is 
Mr.  Maxwell,  whom  we,  or  rather  I  alone,  met  in  Paris.  Max- 
well, this  is  Mrs.  Kean,  and  this  my  sister,  Mrs.  Roberts." 

The  visitor  shook  hands  with  both  ladies,  and  Richard 
noticed  that  his  eyes  turned  to  Elinor,  whenever  he  believed 
himself  unobserved.  A  bitter  feeling  rose  in  Richard's  mind, 
shaping  itself  into  something  like  this   thought:  "Why  could 


EITHER.  OR.  255 

she  not  met  such  a  fellow  before  ?  Why  had  that  fiend  in 
human  form  to  come,  and  destroy  both  mind  and  happiness  ? 
Surely  life  is  an  unfathomable  enigma." 

Elinor  did  not  mingle  in  the  conversation,  and  Richard 
soon  discovered  that  she  was  a  riddle  to  the  visitor,  who 
seemed  intoxicated  by  her  beauty,  then  puzzled  by  her  inanity. 
Richard  resolved  to  inform  him  of  his  sister's  mental  con- 
dition at  some  future  opportunity,  without,  of  course,  betray- 
ing the  cause,  thinking  that  such  a  course  would  be  honor- 
able, and  calculated  to  check  a  passion,  which  might  assume 
alarming  proportions,  if  allowed  to  grow. 

"Well,  Velder,  what  is  your  programme  for  the  remain- 
ing winter  months?"  Maxwell  inquired  during  the  evening. 

"I  hardly  know." 

"Well,  you'll  surely  cultivate  the  belle  monde  of  Plutop- 
olis?  From  what  I  hear,  these  ladies  have  been  shut  up  here 
for  many  a  month,  and  if  you  are  not  careful  you  will  be 
decried  as  a  new  Bluebeard." 

"That  must  be  avoided  by  all  means.  Well,  I  would  not 
mind  going  out  occasionally,  but  then  I  do  not  know  anybody, 
and—" 

"I  would  be  delighted  to  introduce  you  to  our  'elite,' 
if  the  ladies  and  you  will  permit  me." 

"Well,  we'll  see.     Is  there  anything  going  on  now?" 

"Well,  we  have  our  reunions  at  Del  Palino's,  you  know, 
the  club  house  ol  our  'Jeuness  doree.'  It  is  open  every 
night  and  before  the  beginning  of  Lent  a  grand  masked  ball  is 
to  close  the  season.  Everybody  will  be  there,  and  I  shall  be 
only  too  happy  to  procure  tickets  for  you.  It  requires  the 
endorsement  of  a  member  to  procure  them." 

"You  are  a  member?" 

"Yes,  my  name  is  on  the  list,  but  I  do  not  go  often,  as 
the  character  of  the  entertainments,  in  truth,  the  habitues 
does  not  strike  my  fancy  on  the  whole.  I  am  a  little  more 
seriously  and  intellectually  inclined." 

"This  'Jeuness  doree'  caters  more  to  the  body  than  the 
mind,  eh?" 


256  EITHER,  OR. 

"Well,  yes,  it  does.  I  don't  pretend  to  be  a  saint,  and  not 
even  a  prig,  I  trust,  but  the  sensuality,  nay  brutality  of  the 
amusements  favored  there,  is  distasteful  to  me." 

"No  doubt  of  it,  my  dear  fellow,  for  you  are  a  sensible 
chap.     You  say  the  club  is  open  every  evening?" 

"Exactly.     Shall  we  go  there  to-night?" 

"It  is  rather  late,  and  then  I  am  a  little  stiff  from  my 
journey." 

"An  excellent  reason  for  delaying  our  visit.  As  for  the 
time,  why  it  is  early  ;  our  golden  youth  hardly  ever  appears 
before  midnight.     Well,  shall  we  say  to-morrow?" 

"To-morrow,  if  you  please." 

"I  shall  call  here,  then,  at  half  past  nine.     Good  night." 

At  punctually  half  past  nine,  the  next  evening,  Maxwell 
called  at  the  Yelder  mansion.  He  found  Richard  ready  for  a 
start,  and  said:  "It  is  rather  early,  and  we'll  hardly  find  any- 
body there,  sir  ;  but  that  makes  no  odds,  as  the  building  alone 
is  worth  a  visit,  and  you  can  feast  your  eyes  upon  master- 
pieces of  art  of  every  description.  I  have  brought  my  coupe 
along,  so  let  us  go." 

They  entered  a  handsome  one  seated  carriage  and  were 
rapidly  drawn  towards  that  part  of  the  city  where  wealth  and 
fashion  have  domiciled  themselves.  After  a  ride  of  about 
half  an  hour,  the  coupe  stopped  before  a  brilliantly  lit  en- 
trance, whence  a  fine,  broad  stairway  led  into  the  second,  and, 
as  Richard  soon  discovered,  principal  story.  Everything  be- 
tokened wealth  and  luxury,  although  Richard  considered  the 
taste  not  always  the  most  refined.  Fine  marble  statuary  lined 
the  pillared  corridors,  all  nude,  which  in  itself  is  no  objection, 
but  many  of  a  conception  and  attitude  highly  sensual,  if  not 
voluptuous.  Fine  oil  paintings  adorned  the  walls,  but  they, 
too,  appealed  to  the  animal  passions,  not  by  an  open  viola- 
tion of  decorum,  but  that  subtle  insinuation  which,  like  the 
gauzy  cover,  reveals  more  than  it  hides,  and  calls  upon  the 
imagination  to  complete  what  the  eye  fails  to  perceive.  A 
strong  perfume  of  eau  de  mille  fleurs  filled  the  atmosphere, 
und  Richard  said  to  his  companion,  as  they  loitered  along  the 


EITHER,  OR.  257 

corridor:  "A  temple  of  Venus  Amathusia.  Woe  to  the  mor- 
als of  the  young  man  frequenting  these  haunts  daily.  Here 
good  resolutions  will  melt  like  ice  in  the  noonday  sun." 

"Are  you  not  a  little  severe?  I,  for  my  part,  I  am  not  at 
all  affected  by  either  these  sights,  or  this  atmosphere." 

"You  say  you  are  not  a  daily  visitor.  That  accounts 
for  it." 

"I  beg  to  differ.  Would  not  the  rareness  of  the  charm 
increase  its  power  ?  " 

"Not  in  this  instance.  It  is  the  constant  influence  of 
these  enervating  scenes  which  tells.  Would  you  want  au 
innocent  sister  to  frequent  these  apartments?  " 

"Hardly,"  confessed  Maxwell  hesitatingly.  "But  stop 
your  moralizing,  Velder,  for  we  are  nearing  the  room  where 
our  fellows  sacrifice  to  Dame  Fortune." 

"You  mean,  where  they  gamble?" 

"Fie,  what  an  ugly  Avord?  " 

"But  the  truth.  I  thought  gambling  was  forbidden  in  the 
code  of  Plutonia  ?  " 

"What  an  innocent  boy  you  are,  Velder.  I  never  saw 
such  intelligence  coupled  with  such  simplicity.  Why,  man, 
do  you  not  know  that  the  foot  of  the  executors  of  the  law  is 
never  seen  in  the  halls  of  wealth?  " 

"I  am  only  too  well  aware  of  it.  But  say,"  he  con- 
tinued, "I  am  not  at  all  interested  in  gambling,  and  with  your 
permission  we'll  yisit  some  objects  of  interest  to  me." 

"There  it  is  again.  Gambling!  Man  you  are  obdurate. 
Give  the  devil  his  due,  and  call  it  'bucking  the  tiger.'  Come 
you  must  see  how  bravely  our  young  cubs  face  that  ferocious 
beast." 

"All  right,  then,"  replied  Richard,  and  Maxwell  was  on 
the  point  of  turning  the  door  knob,  when  some  one  cried 
behind  them:     "Maxwell,  one  word  if  you  please." 

"Botheration,"  muttered  the  young  man.  "Well,  step  in 
while  I  talk  to  him.     I'll  be  there  in  a  minute." 

Richard  obeyed,  and  entered  a  room  gorgeous  in  the  ex- 
treme, but  overladen,  and  offensive  to  a  simple  taste. 


258  EITHER,  OR. 

Velvet  Brussels  carpet  of  a  flashy  pattern  covered  the  floor, 
gilt  paper  of  the  costliest  quality,  the  walls.  Heavy  curtains 
of  Lyons  silk  hung  from  the  windows  and  pictures  in  massive 
gilt  frames  presented  views  of  a  character  similar  to  those 
mentioned  before.  A  faro  table  occupied  the  center,  and 
smaller  ones  were  scattered  over  the  room.  Easy  chairs  of 
luxurious  patterns  and  finish  invited  to  rest,  and  swelling 
divans  running  along  the  walls  did  the  same.  Articles  "de 
vertu"  were  scattered  promiscuously  over  stands  and  what- 
nots, and  everything  breathed  voluptuous  ease  and  indolence. 
Richard  had  no  time  to  examine  all  these  allurements  in  de- 
tail, for,  just  as  he  opened  the  door,  another  opposite  to  this 
was  shut,  and  then  a  third  one  opened.  As  Richard  turned 
to  learn  the  cause  of  the  last  movement  he  saw  a  young  man, 
evidently  one  of  the  attendants,  advance  towards  him  carry- 
ing a  folded  paper  in  his  hand,  sajdng,  as  he  handed  it  to  Rich- 
ard: "Please,  sir,  Miss  Antoinette  told  me  to  deliver  this  to 
you." 

"To  me  ?"  Richard  inquired  wonderingly,  but  unfolding 
mechanically  the  paper  which  contained  only  a  line  or  two. 
He  was  on  the  point  of  returning  the  slip,  when  his  eye  was 
attracted  by  some  words  which  riveted  his  attention,  and  in- 
duced him  to  set  aside  all  scruples  and  to  read : 

"Sweet  Cyrus:     Your  girl  in  room  27  is  as  stubborn  as  a 
mule.     I  fear  you  will  have  to  use  force,  or  drug  her,  to  obtain 
your  purpose.     Call  to-morrow  morning  at  eleven. 
Yours  devotedly, 

Antoinette." 
For  a  moment  Richard  was  at  a  loss  what  to  do.  He  saw 
plainly  that  some  villany  was  at  work,  probably  meditating 
the  ruin  of  some  innocent  girl.  He  saw,  of  course,  that  the 
paper  was  not  intended  for  him,  but  for  a  fellow  called  Cyrus. 
But  how  had  this  mistake  occurred?  Was  this  messenger 
an  awkward  clown,  or  Antoinette  so  secure  in  this  temple  of 
of  sensuality  as  to  disregard  all  dictates  of  prudence  and 
caution?  He  must  venture  a  question  to  feel  his  way.  So 
he  inquired :    "To  whom  did  Antoinette  tell  you  to  give  this? 


EITHER,  OR.  259 

"To  the  gentleman  in  the  play  room."  Then,  with  a 
tone  of  alarm  :  "Ain't  you  the  right  party?  " 

"That's  all  right,  James." 

The  man  smiled.  He  was  young,  probably  not  over 
twenty-two  and  had  an  open,  upright  countenance,  which  Rich- 
ard thought  out  of  place  here.     He  said  : 

"My  name  is  Harry,  sir." 

"Ah!    Are  you  a  native  of  Plutopolis?  " 

"Born  and  raised  here.     My  uncle  is  janitor  of  National 
Hall,  if  you  know  what  this  is." 
"Ah,  Mr.  Rinehart?" 

"You  know  him?"  the  youth  inquired  eagerly,  a  light 
beaming  in  his  eyes.  Richard  saw  that  he  had  nearly  betrayed 
his  secret.  To  undo  the  mischief,  he  must  make  some  ex- 
planation, and  replied,  therefore  :  "By  reputation,  yes.  My 
name  is  Velder,  and  I  own  National  Hall." 

The  light  brightened  in  the  eyes  of  the  youth  and  he 
exclaimed  with  an  ardor,  showing  plainly  that  the  atmosphere 
of  this  place  had  not  yet  corrupted  him:  "Mr.  Velder!  I  de- 
clare !  Oh,  I  am  so  glad  to  meet  and  see  you.  Uncle  thinks  a 
sight  of  you,  and  says  he  wishes  all  rich  men  were  like  you." 

"I  am  truly  obliged  to  your  uncle  for  his  good  opinion," 
Richard  said,  with  a  smile.  "But  say,  are  you  a  member  of 
our  order  ?  " 

"I  bet  I  am— all  of  the  boys  here  are,"  he  added,  looking 
cautiously  around.  "But  you  said,  'Our.'  Does  that  mean 
that  you  are  a  member  in  spite  of  all  your  money?  " 

"I  am,  Harry,  indeed;  I  am  one  of  the  founders." 

The  youth  looked  at  him  attentively,  then  said:  "By 
George,  I  must  have  seen  you  before,  though  I  can't  for  the 
world  tell,  where.     If  your  hair  was  darker,  and—" 

"Well,  never  mind  that,  Harry,"  interrupted  Richard, 
fearing  that  a  prolonged  consultation  with  his  memory  might 
put  the  young  man  on  his  track.  "I  want  to  see  you&in 
private— no  not  now,  but  to-morrow  morning  at  ten  in  this 
room.     Can  you  be  here?" 


260  EITHER,  OR. 

"Certainly:  we  have  little  or  nothing  to  do  in  the  morn- 
ing." 

"All  right  then.     Somebody  is  coming." 

The  door  opened  and  Maxwell  entered.  "All  by  yourself? 
I  wonder  where  the  Cubs  are  to-night.  Harry,  have  you  seen 
any  of  them  ?  " 

"I  saw  Mr.  Cheatham.  General  Runwell,  and — " 

"The  Senator?" 

"No:  Mr.  Cyrus  Cheatham.  I  think  you  will  find  them 
In  the  billiard  room." 

"Well,  let  us  hunt  them  up,  Yelder.  This  way,  if  you 
please." 

He  opened  a  door  and  entered  a  room  as  gorgeously  fur- 
nished as  the  other,  but  equipped  with  several  billiard  tables, 
at  one  of  which  two  gentlemen  lazily  pursued  a  game. 

When  the  door  opened,  they  looked  up,  and  one  of  them 
exclaimed :  "Ah,  there  is  Maxwell.  Deucedly  glad  you 
came,  the  general  and  I  are  bored  to  death  with  ennui. 
Billiards  is  a  bore,  you  know." 

Maxwell  seemed  acquainted  with  the  other,  for  he  shook 
hands,  saying.  "How  are  you.  General?  Permit  me  to  pre- 
sent Mr.  Yelder — Mr.  Yelder,  General  Runwell." 

Both  gentlemen  acknowledge  the  favor  by  a  bow.  Max- 
well continued.  "The  other  gentleman  met  in  Paris,  if  I  am 
not  mistaken." 

Richard  bowed  slightly,  but  Cheatham  remarked: 
"Think  we  did.  Glad  to  meet  you  here  Mr.  Yelder.  But  say, 
fellows,  let's  have  a  game  of  poker  to  kill  time.  Don't  see  how 
I  shall  survive  midnight,  unless  I  get  a  little  excitement. 
What  do  you  say.     Shall  it  be  poker  or  faro?" 

"Neither,  as  far  as  I  am  concerned."  said  Richard  coldly. 

"I.  too,  must  decline,"  chimed  in  Maxwell. 

"Well,  then  suggest  something  else"  remarked  Cheatham 
Jr.,  peevishly.  "Don't  you  see,  I  am  dying  for  want  of  some- 
thing to  do?     Come,  have  pity  on  a  fellow  " 

At  this  moment  half  a  dozen  young  gentlemen  burst  into 
the  room,  feigning   the  manners    of  the  London  swell,  using 


EITHER,  OR.  261 

his  "aw's,"  imitating  his  swagger  and  disgusting  people  of  sense 
generally. 

"Here  they  aw'  at  lawst"  one  of  them  cried.  "Cy,  why 
in  the  world  awn't  you  in  the  kennel?  Don't  you  remembaw 
this  is  the  evening  of  your  bet  with  Singaw  ?  " 

"The  deuce  it  is.     This  ain't  the  twentieth  ?  " 

"That's  what  it  is,  Cy,"  another  chimed  in.  "It  is  just  a 
quartaw  to  ten,  and  if  you  hurry  you  can  still  make  it." 

"By  George,  let's  be  off,  then.  It  is  a  cool  thousand 
which  I  can  hardly  afford  to  lose  by  not  coming  to  the 
scratch." 

"Yes,  let's  all  go,"  said  a  third  one.  "  'Tis  beastly  dull 
and  the  fight  will  help  us  over  a  few  idle  minutes." 

The  others  echoed  these  sentiments,  and  the  crowd 
started  for  the  kennel,  Maxwell  followed,  and  dragging  Rich- 
ard, who  did  not  exactly  know  what  to  expect,  but  remem- 
bered that  he  had  come  here  for  information,  and  thought  one 
place  as  good  for  that  purpose  as  another.  The  company 
descended  a  flight  of  back  stairs,  and  soon  entered  a  spacious 
room  lined  with  kennels  on  all  sides  in  which  dogs  of  all 
kinds  were  chained.  On  entering  they  noticed  a  gentleman 
who  looked  at  his  watch,  and  at  sight  of  Cheatham,  smiled 
ironically,  saying: 

"Just  in  season,  Cy.  Five  more  minutes  and  the  thous- 
and would  have  been  mine  by  default." 

"Well,  they  ain't,  though.  Here  is  Caesar,  bring  out  your 
Caro." 

The  other  complied,  and  no  sooner  had  the  two  dogs  been 
set  free,  than  they  rushed  against  one  another  with  a  fury  as 
if — as  if — we  came  very  near  saying,  as  if  they  had  been  human 
beings.  It  is  indescribable  with  what  zest  they  inserted  their 
teeth  into  the  adversary's  flesh.  After  a  few  minutes  blood 
began  to  flow  freely  and  soon  their  heads,  necks,  and  sides 
presented  one  mass  of  mangled  flesh.  Richard's  heart  sick- 
ened at  the  sight,  and  more  than  once  he  was  tempted  to 
spring  between  the  infuriated  brutes.  Nor  was  it  the  fear  of 
resistance  or  ridicule    on  the  part  of  these  sports,  which  pre- 


262  EITHER,  OR. 

vented,  but  considerations  of  a  more  weighty  character.  He  re- 
membered the  slip  which  the  waiter  had  handed  him,  and  his 
desire  to  watch  the  machinations  of  these  human  sharks,  and 
to  unearth  any  measure  they  might  have  concocted,  or  be 
concocting  to  the  detriment  of  his  comrades. 

So  he  watched  with  a  deep  compassion,  but  in  perfect 
silence,  the  struggle  of  these  savage  and  therefore  excusable 
quadrupeds,  but  with  infinite  disgust  and  ill-suppressed  indig- 
nation, the  coarse  jests,  the  beastly  exultation  and  almost 
frantic  expressions  of  glee  or  regret  of  the  brutal  bipeds,  who 
in  his  opinion,  had  sunk  below  the  poor  creatures  tearing 
each  other  to  pieces  for  their  recreation.  At  last  Caro  with 
one  mighty  effort,  grasped  Caesar  by  the  throat  and  actually 
strangled  him  to  death,  to  fall  shortly  after,  a  victim  to  the 
many  and  deadly  wounds  inflicted  by  his  foe. 

"The  fight  is  off,''  cried  General  Runwell,  who  was  um- 
pire.    "I  declare  Caro  victor  in  the  combat." 

"By  Jove!  they  were  game, "  cried  a  half  fledged  youth. 
"I  wouldn't  have  missed  that  fun  for  a  hundred  dolaws.  Cy, 
you'll  have  to  make  a  deep  dive  into  your  pocket  to  square 
the  account.  Wouldn't  like  to  be  in  your  boots,  just  now, 
'pon  honaw." 

The  others  also  chaffed  Cheatham,  who  pretended  to  be 
indifferent  to  his  loss  as  well  as  these  taunts,  but  showed  a 
scowl,  telling  a  different  story. 

"Gents,"  cried  the  half-fledged  youth,  "don't  fawget  that 
Jim  Sullerban  and  Joe  Smithers  meet  to-morrow  morning,  for 
a  purse  of  $500  each.  I  have  bet  on  Jim.  Any  one  weady 
to  take  me  up?  " 

"Yes,  Alf,  I'll  go  you  an  even  fifty." 

"I'll  take  you  up.  But,  it  is  getting  late,  gents,  and  if  we 
don't  hurry,  we  cawn't  have  that  little  game  of  pokaw,  we 
promised  Cy." 

"All  right,  let  us  go  up,"  cried  Cheatham,  who  seemed 
anxious  for  a  change  of  scene,  and  a  new  exitement,  to  efface 
the  recollection  of  his  loss.     So  the  fellows  rushed  up,  Max- 


EITHER,  OR.  263 

well,  the  General  and  Richard  forming  the  rear  at  a  more 
moderate  pace. 

"Poor  brutes!"  our  friend  could  not  help  exclaiming. 

"You  mean  the  dogs?"  Maxwell  asked  quizzingly. 

"Of  course,  the  others   do  not  deserve  any  compassion." 

The  General  looked  at  him  searchingly.  You  take  no 
stock  in  such  fights,  it  seems?"  he  inquired  cautiously. 

"Who  would,  and  call  himself  a  man?"  Richard  replied 
frowning  severely  and  looking  all  he  meant. 

"That's  hard  on  our  set,"   Maxwell. said  significantly. 

"Beware,  or  some  one  may  invite  you  to  a  passage  at 
arms." 

"I  wouldn't  care  much,  and  shoot  my  adversary  with 
considerably  more  mercy  than  was  shown  these  poor  dogs  to- 
night." 

"Yes,  you  would  brain  him  sure,"  Maxwell  cried  with  a 
laugh.  "General,  you  ought  to  see  Velder's  skill  with  firearms. 
I  bet  you  he  will  cut  the  spot  out  of  an  ace  of  diamonds  a 
hundred  times,  running." 

"You  are  joking  of  course,  replied  the  military  man." 

"  Of  course  not,  you  mean.  Nor  is  this  all.  I  bet  he  will 
touch  you  a  hundred  times  with  a  foil,  and  not  be  touched 
once." 

"Why  Maxwell,  you  surely  have  a  poor  opinion  of  my 
skill  as  a  fencer,"  the  General  replied  slightly  vexed. 

"I  know  nothing  about  your  skill,  General,  but — " 

"Shut  up,  Maxwell,  will  you,"  Richard  said  laughing,  but 
evidently  at  his  friend's  enthusiasm.  "The  General  will 
surely  think  you  are  from  the  West." 

"And  why  from  the  West,  sir?  " 

"Because  it  is  so  windy  there." 

Both  Runwell  and  Maxwell  laughed.  "I'll  pardon  this 
severe  thrust,  Velder,"  the  latter  remarked,  "if  you  will  con- 
sent to  give  the  General  a  proof  of  your  skill.  You  do  not 
want  to  buck  the  tiger.  So  we  can  do  nothing  better  than 
visit  the  shooting  gallery  and  try  our  luck." 


264  EITHER,  OR. 

"Yes  do,  Mr.  Velder,"  the  General  urged.  "I  would 
really  see  you  shoot  a  hole  into  Maxwell's  bag." 

"That  settles  it"  Maxwell  cried  with  well  feigned  indig- 
nation. "If  you  fail  to  prove  my  veracity,  I'll  cut  the  cable 
of  friendship  binding  us." 

"All  right  then,  I  cannot  endorse  the  thought  of  such  an 
amputation." 

vSo  they  went  to  the  gallery,  where  they  found  half  a 
dozen  men  engaged  in  shooting,  fencing  and  boxing.  A  gleam 
of  pleasure  came  into  Richard's  eyes,  and  he  soon  forgot  what 
brought  them  here,  in  the  genuine  enjoyment  of  these  manly 
sports.  At  first  the  others  paid  no  attention  to  our  trio,  but 
when  Richard  began  to  fire  and  the  General's  exclamations  of 
surprise  and  delight  became  more  vociferous  with  ever)* 
shot,  they  approached  and  also  became  witnesses  of  the  skill  of 
our  friend.  When  he  had  fired  about  twenty  shots,  Maxwell 
exclaimed.     "Well  General  will  you  bet  now?  " 

"Not  I,  sir.  Mr.  Yelder  must  have  formed  a  league  with 
the  devil." 

"Three  of  them,  General."  Maxwell  exclaimed  with  a 
laugh. 

"And  they  are?  I  would  like  to  get  an  introduction  to 
them." 

Maxwell  paused  a  moment,  then  said:  "His  devils  are  : 
Moderation,  coolness  and  practice." 

Most  of  the  crowd  laughed,  but  the  General  said  seriously, 
"Mighty  powerful  devils,  these.  It  is  a  pity  they  are  so  rarely 
invoked." 

"That's  so,  General.  Well,  I  have  proved  one  of  my 
assertions,  and  will  now  inquire:  Does  any  one  of  the 
gentlemen  present  wish  to  be  spitted  on  this  foil  by  Mr. 
Yelder  and  roasted  on  a  slow  fire.  If  so  let  him  speak  and  I 
will  intercede  for  him." 

"Maxwell  !"      Richard  cried  warmly. 

"Well,  I  must  recover  my  character  you  know.  Here  are 
two  foils,  General,  will  you  take  one  ?  " 

"I  suppose  I'll    have  to  save  the  honor  of   the  army.       I 


EITHER,  OR.  265 

begin  to  believe  though,  you  were  really  born  in  the  extreme 
East  Maxwell,  for  if  this  gentlemen  will  do  half  as  well  with 
the  foil  as  with  the  revolver,  I  shall  have  no  show.  Ready  I 
Well,  here  she  goes." 

It  was  a  pleasure  to  see  the  ease,  assurance  and  steadiness 
with  which  Richard  went  into  position.  When  General  Run- 
well  saw  the  calm  steel-blue  eyes  take  his  measure,  watching 
his  every  movement  with  the  vigilance  of  the  hawk,  antici- 
pating his  intentions  almost  before  they  had  taken  definite 
shape,  he  vowed  to  himself  that  he  would  avoid  a  quarrel  with 
this  man  if  he  could  possibly  help  it.  Nor  did  the  steady 
bearing,  the  lightning  rapidity,  and  the  consumate  skill  of  our 
friend  fail  to  impress  the  spectators.  Richard's  antagonist 
was  not  unskilled  in  the  use  of  the  foil,  having  practiced  with 
it  considerably  at  North  Bend,  the  military  school  of  Occiden- 
tia ;  but  both  he  and  the  spectators  soon  discovered  that  he 
was  no  match  for  Velder.  He  tried  his  best  to  touch  him,  and 
his  original  coolness  gave  way  to  a  pardonable  excitement 
and  vexation  when  he  found  that  he  not  only  failed,  but  that 
the  latter  actually  played  with  him.  The  excitement,  how- 
ever naturally  decreased  his  chances,  and  when  finally  the 
half-fledged  chap  exclaimed:  "Give  it  up,  General,  havn't  no 
chance  at  all,  you  see,"  he  was  wise  enough  to  throw  away 
his  weapon  saying  with  a  forced  laugh: 

"I  consider  such  a  defeat  an  honor." 

"And  I  such    a  victory   a  triumph,''  Richard  added  good 
naturedly.       "The  General  is  a  good  deal  above  the  ordinary 
run,  and  kept  me  in  breath  I  assure  you  gentlemen." 

Maxwell  was  greatly  gratified.  He  had  two  objects  in 
view.  He  was  glad  to  see  his  veracity  thus  established,  but 
his  anxiety  for  Velder's  interests  overshadowed  greatly  the 
gratification  of  his  self-love.  He  could  not  help  seeing  that 
his  friend  felt,  and  openly  manifested  a  contempt  for  the 
frivolity  of  this  "gilded  youth,"  which  could  not  help  pro- 
voking irritation  and  lead  to  feuds.  He  was  therefore  glad  to 
exhibit  a  skill  calculating  to  make  a  quarrel  with  Velder  a 
perilous  affair.     He  knew  that  some  of  these   fellows  had  the 


266  EITHER,  OR. 

true  mettle  in  spite  of  their  foppishness,  and  on  such  the 
knowledge  of  Richard's  dexterity  in  the  use  of  weapons  would 
have  little  or  no  effect,  but  the  mass  was  effeminate  and  ener- 
vated, and  for  this  mass  Maxwell's  lesson  was  intended.  The}' 
would  now  give  a  wide  berth  and  show  a  scrupulous  civility 
to  a  man  far  above  them. 

When  the  foils  had  been  laid  aside,  Maxwell  said  with  an 
assumed  innocence.  "Now,  friends,  we  ought  to  close  with  a 
friendly  passage  with  gloves.  Who  will  meet  on  the  arena 
where  Jim  and  Joe  gained  immortal  glory?  " 

The  half  fledged  youth  accepted  his  challenge  but  both 
combattants  exhibited  such  inferior  skill  that  the  spectators 
yawned,  and  began  to  turn  their  backs. 

"Now,  'tis  your  turn  Yelder"  Maxwell  exclaimed,  thus 
re-exciting  the  expectation  of  the  crowd. 

"General,  will  you  try  your  luck  with  him?" 

"You  go  to  Halifax  !"  Runwell  cried  with  an  emphasis, 
which  created  universal  merriment. 

"One  defeat  satisfies  me  perfectly,  and  if  any  of  these  gen- 
tlemen wish  to  be  pommeled  to  their  heart's  content,  I  cheer- 
fully stand  back.'' 

Maxwell  then  offered  the  gloves  first  to  one,  then  to  an- 
other of  the  spectators,  but,  somehow,  there  seemed  to  be  no 
disposition  to  be  "pommeled,"  so  Maxwell  threw  them  away, 
saying:  "Well,  gents,  ir  there  is  notljing  more  to  be  done 
here,  let  us  go  to  Dame  Fortune's  temple  and  see  how  Cy  is 
being  fleeced." 

This  summons  caused  a  sudden  rush  on  the  part  of  the 
younger  sports,  who  should  have  been  lucked  into  bed  by 
their  mammas  by  this  time,  as  Maxwell  whispered  to  Richard 
while  following  more  slowly.  They  found  the  play  room 
empty,  but  boisterous  laughter  and  shouts  of  merriment  indi- 
cated too  plainly  the  route  of  the  gamblers,  to  be  mistaken. 
Richard  expressed  a  desire  to  retire,  but  Maxwell  pulled  him 
iorward,  saying  impressively:  "Ah,  come  on.  They  are  in 
the  bar-room,  where  you  can  and  should  study  another  chap- 
ter of  human  life." 


EITHER,  OR.  267 

"I  fear  it  will  be  a  disgusting  one  ;  but  have  your  way. 
I  said  A,  so  I  suppose  I'll  have  to  say  B." 

They  soon  reached  the  bar-room,  or  banquet  hall  as  some 
fastidiously  called  it.  The  apartment  was  more  gorgeously 
embellished  than  even  the  other  rooms.  The  divans  were 
more  swelling,  the  pictures  and  statuary  more  voluptuous,  the 
glitter  of  gold  and  cut  glass  more  brilliant. 

Small  tables  were  scattered  around  the  room,  with  chairs 
around  them,  occupied  by  the  devotees  of  Bacchus.  At  one 
of  them,  which  was  empty.  Maxwell  sat  down,  inviting  Rich- 
ard and  the  General  to  follow  his  example.  He  ordered  a  bot- 
tle of  champagne,  and  pouring  out  the  sparkling  liquid,  said: 
"This,  in  my  opinion,  is  the  king  of  drinks.  I  confess  to  a 
slight  passion  for  champagne,  and  would  probably  cater  to 
it  more  frequently,  if  it  were  not  so  beastly  expensive."  Then 
they  entered  into  a  light  and  rambling  conversation,  Richard 
taking  little  heed,  but  watching  the  company  which,  with  few 
exceptions,  had  reached  a    stage   of  mild   intoxication. 

The  waiters  of  this  room  were  girls,  handsome  girls,  of 
course,  but  dressed  in  so  flimsy  a  fashion  as  to  betray  their 
lewdness,  even  if  their  presence  at  this  place  had  not  foretold 
it.  The  devotees,  especially  the  more  juvenile  ones,  paid 
homage  to  these  Venus'  es  Valgatas,  pinchtng  their  arms  and 
cheeks,  and  occasionally  drawing  them  into  an  embrace. 
Richard  was  on  the  point  of  rising,  when  suddenly  a  voice  at 
the  table,  just  back  of  him',  claimed  and,  after  a  few  minutes, 
riveted  his  attention. 

'"Well,  Cy,  so  you  broke  the  bank  ?  Lucky  dog,  that  you 
.are.     You  must  have  made  a  big  haul?" 

"Just  about  enough  to  pay ,  hie,  Ben,  hie." 

"Well,  I  am  glad  you  were  lucky  for  once.  They  drain 
you  pretty  regularly,  you  know." 

"I  don't  care,  hie  !  The  Gove'nor  has  the  change,  you 
know,  hie  !" 

"I  know,  Cy,  and  I  could  say  the  same  thing  of  mine. 
They  tell  me,  Cy,  you  are  universally  successful  with  the  fair 
sex,  Cy." 


268  EITHER,  OR. 

"Unlucky  in  play,  lucky  in  love  you  know,  hie." 

"That's  what  they  say;  but  they  say  also,  Cy,  that  you 
are  about  as  fickle  as  you  are  lucky." 

"Well,  what  can  a  fellow  do,  'tis  constitutional,  hie,  you 
see.     What  can  a  fellow  do  when  he  is  bored?  " 

"Bored?  Handsome  women  wouldn't  bore  me,  I  tell 
you." 

"Yes,  they  would,  hie.  Antoinette,  another  bo'tle  of 
champagne.  Yes  they  would,  my  boy,  especially  if  they  were 
dull,  hie.  I  had  once  an  amour  with  the  han'smest  girl  in  th' 
city,  by  Jove,  but  she  was  dull,  and  I  cast  her  off,  hie." 

"Tell  me  awl  about  it,  Cy,  it  is  deucedly  interesting  to 
heaw  you  tawk." 

"Well,  there  ain't  much  about  it,  hie.  Her  name  was 
Elinor,  and  she  was  an  orphan,  hie.  There  was  the  dragon 
of  an  aun',  aunt,  hie;  but  we  circumvented  her,  hie,  and  took 
her  off." 

"We?      Had  you  a  pawtner  in  the  affair,  Cy?  " 

"Course  not,  hie.  He  merely  played  preacher,  hie,  you 
know." 

"Ah,  then  you  married  the  girl,  did  you?" 

"Course  I  didn't,  hie.     Only  sham,  you  know,  hie." 

"And  she  bored  you  soon?" 

"Devlish  soon,  hie.  After  a  few  months,  hie,  I  couldn't 
stand  it  any  longer,  hie,  an'  lef  her  in  Shoatopolis,  you  know, 
hie." 

Richard's  feelings  during  this  conversation  can  more 
easily  be  imagined  than  described.  He  thought  he  had 
passed  through  fiery  ordeals  in  his  comparatively  short  career. 
and  flattered  himself  to  have  endured  them  with  credit ;  but 
this  one  put  the  climax  unto  them  all.  The  fact  that  the 
same  blood  and  flesh  which  had  wrecked  his  parents'  hap- 
piness and  life  had  also  prevailed  in  destroying  the  happiness 
and  the  mind  of  his  sister,  probably  intensified  his  feelings: 
at  all  events  the  fiery  wrath,  the  terrible  indignation  now  rag- 
ing in  his  soul,  surpassed  by  far  the  sensations  which  had 
shaken  him,  when  first  he  stood  face  to  face  with  the  destroyer 


EITHER,  OR.  269 

of  his  parents.  In  the  father's  case  there  had  at  least  been  a 
provocation,  a  cause,  which,  though  unjustifiable,  had  roused 
the  fury  of  an  evil  nature,  and  thus  led  to  the  terrible  sequel. 
In  this  instance,  there  had  been  no  such  provocation.  An 
idle  mind,  an  over-fed  body,  thus  filled  with  lewd  passion,  had 
calmly,  deliberately  planned  and  coldly  consummated  a  vil- 
lanous  plot.  And  when  the  base  passion  had  been  gratified  ; 
when  the  plaything  of  an  idle  month  had  become  tiresome,  it 
had  been  flung  aside  without  compunction,  without  any  after- 
thought, excepting  perhaps  that  of  satisfaction  at  the  skill 
and  cunning  displayed  in  the  deviltry. 

These  thoughts  and  feelings  rushed  promiscuously  and 
wildly  through  Richard's  brain.  He  was  aware  that  the 
vermin  that  had  thus  poisoned  an  innocent  existence,  was 
within  his  grasp.  He  felt  that  it  would  give  him  infinite  sat- 
isfaction to  seize  it,  crush  it  under  his  feet,  and  thus  free  the 
world  from  its  further  contamination.  But  while  he  felt  this, 
he  never  for  a  moment  forgot  that  his  life  had  a  purpose;  that 
it  belonged  to  countless  beings,  who,  it  is  true,  might  accom- 
plish their  emancipation  without  his  aid,  but  who  had  never- 
theless a  claim  upon  him.  So  potent  was  this  feeling  in  him, 
that  he  did  not  waver  one  moment,  checking  his  fierce  desire 
with  the  superior  consciousness  of  duty.  He  felt,  however, 
that  there  was  no  necessity  for  a  continued  self-torture;  so  he 
arose,  saying: 

"Maxwell,  it  is  after  twelve,  I  shall  retire." 
"Well,  I  shall  go  with  you,  as  I  have  business  to-morrow 
requiring  a  clear  head  and  a  steady  hand.     Good  night." 

On  the  following  morning  Richard  entered  his  aunt's 
room  and  startled  her  by  saying  :  "Aunt  Laura,  I  have  found 
him  at  last." 

"Found  whom,  Richard?" 

He  went  close  to  her,  then  said  with  an  attempt  of  calm- 
ness :     "Elinor's  ravisher!  " 

Mrs.  Keau  paled.  Without  knowing  what  she  was  doing, 
she  rose  and  said,  gasping  for  breath.  "Merciful  Heavens. 
Is  it  possible  1     Are  you  sure,  Richard?  " 


270  EITHER,  OR. 

"As  sure  as  a  confession  from  his  own  lips  can  make  me." 

"When  I  tell  you  his  name,  Aunt  Eaura,  you  will  hardly 
wonder." 

Mrs.  Kean  clutched  at  a  chair  and  in  search  of  support, 
then  said: 

"Richard,  don't  torture  me.     Who  is  it  ?  " 

"The  offspring  of  the  man  who  killed  my  parents''  he 
cried  bitterly;  "Cyrus  Cheatham." 

Mrs.  Kean's  head  reeled.  "Cyrus  Cheatham"  she  said 
automatically,  as  if  hardly  aware  of  her  doings,  then  arous- 
ing herself  with  a  powerful  effort,  "And  they  say  there  is  a 
ruling  Providence,  kind  and  benevolent." 

"I  doubt  it,  Aunt  Eaura — I  doubted  it  long  ago." 

"And — and,  what  are  you  going  to  do  with  him,  Richard?  " 

"I  have  not  decided,  aunty." 

"Then  you  do  not  propose  to  kill  him  ?  " 

"What  good  would  his  death  do  her?  True,  it  would 
prevent  him  from  wronging  others,  but  for  her  sake  he  must 
live,  live  for  a  while  at  least." 

"Will  you  compel  him  to  repair  the  wrongs  he  has  done 
her?" 

"Can  he  restore  her  mind?  I  place  little  value  on  what 
the  world  calls  vestitution  of  sullied  honor.  In  my  eyes  poor 
Elinor  is  as  honorable  now,  as  when  wedded  to  him.  But  let 
us  drop  the  subject.  I  thought  it  right  to  post  you,  to  under- 
stand any  action  I  may  take  in  the  matter.  Now  that  we  have 
him  and  can  confront  him  with  her,  we  might  consult  the 
physician  again.  Perhaps  the}'  will  think  her  sufficiently 
strong  now  to  bear  a  shock  which,  at  a  previous  period  might 
have  killed  her.  But,  to  repeat  it,  let  us  drop  this  painful 
subject." 

"I  want  your  aid  in  a  little  plot  I  have  conceived  to  save 
the  last  victim  of  his  lust." 

He  then  narrated  to  her  the  lucky  error  of  last  night,  and 
asked  in  conclusion  :  "Can  I  count  on  your  assistance  Aunt 
Eaura?  " 


EITHER.  OR.  27r 

"Of  course  you  can.     What  do    you  wish    me    to  do?" 

"Engage  the  carriage,  and  cause  yourself  to  be  taken  to 
the  main  entrance  of  Del  Polino.  Provide  yourself  with  a 
heavy  veil,  and  another  for  the  girl ;  also  with  a  bonnet  and  a 
mantle  for  her,  as  she  may  need  these  articles." 

"When  must  I  be  there?" 

"Precisely  at  half  past  ten.  I  must  leave  you  now,  to 
provide  for  other  matters  connected  with  this  scheme.  Good 
bye." 

"Good  bye,  my  son,  and  may  good  spirits  guide  and  help 
you." 

Richard  left,  wending  his  steps  first  towards  the  head- 
quarters of  police.  On  his  arrival  he  interviewed  the  chief, 
saying:  "I  require  the  assistance  of  a  discreet  detective.  Un- 
derstand, discreet.  I  shall  probably  not  need  his  interference, 
and  only  want  him  as  a  reserve." 

"I  understand.     Is  it  a  scandal  of  high  life  ?" 

"Something  of  that  sort.  I  may  as  well  tell  you,  that  one 
of  the  young  bucks  has  imprisoned  an  innocent  girl  at  Del 
Polino,  with  intentions  which  I  need  not  point  out  to  you." 

"Why,  that  is  really  going  a  little  too  far,"  the  official  said 
with  an  air  of  vexation.  "You  understand,  that  we  have 
sometimes  to  shut  an  eye  to  their  doings,  but  too  far  is  too  far. 
How  did  you  discover  the  intrigue  ?" 

"By  a  slip  handed  me  by  mistake." 

"Ah,  yes,  I  see,  and  I  approve  of  your  intention  to  op- 
press this  scandal  and  to  content  yourself  with  the  rescue  of 
the  girl,     With  whom  have  I  the  honor  to — 

"My  name  is  Velder." 

"Richard  Velder,  the  millionaire  ?"  the  chief  cried,  assum- 
ing a  much  more  respectful  attitude. 

"Richard  Velder,  the  inventor,"  said  the  young  man 
coldly.    "I  place  no  value  upon  the  title  you  apply  to  me." 

"  'Tis  a  powerful  one,  though,"  the  chief  said  with  a 
smile.     "Splaine  can  you  come  here  a  moment  ? " 

A  middle  aged  man   entered  the  office  from  an  adjacent 


272  EITHER,  OR. 

apartment.  He  looked"  respectable  enough,  but  more  like  a 
well-to-do  baker,  than  a  detective. 

"Splaine,"  the  chief,  addressed  him,  "Mr.  Velder  here 
wants  your  assistance  in  a  little  scheme.  He  will  enlighten 
you  himself,  and  I  only  add,  that  I  shall  sanction  anything  he 
proposes." 

"Now?"  the  detective  inquired  laconically, 

'Yes,  now,"  Richard  replied.  "I  need  hardly  add,  that  I 
shall  reward  your  services  handsomely." 

"Very  well,  Mr.  Velder,  I  am  at  your  disposal." 

They  left.  On  the  way  to  the  club  rooms  Richard  told 
his  companion  all  he  needed  to  know.  "You  stay  outside,"  he 
said,  "and  abstain  from  making  yourself  conspicuous.  Your 
presence  may  suffice,  and  I  not  need  your  service  at  all,  which, 
of  course  will  make  no  difference  as  to  the  pay  ;  please  remain 
within  hailing  distance." 

"A}r,  a}-,"  was  the  response,  and  Richard  ascended  the 
stairs.     In  the  billiard  room  he  found  Harry. 

"Are  we  safe  from  interruption  here?"  he  inquired. 

"Oh,  yes,  our  patrons  never  bother  us  at  this  hour,  sir." 

"Well,  I  am  glad.  Harry.  I  know  I  can  trust  you,  for 
your  uncle's  name  and  character  are  sufficient  guarantee." 

"I  am  glad  you  think  so.  I  wouldn't  like  anything  better 
than  to  do  a  good  turn  for  Mr.  Velder." 

"All  right,  then,  Harry.  The  slip  you  handed  me  last 
night  was  not  intended  for  me,  but  as  it  revealed  a  plot  against 
rthe  innocence  of  a  girl,  the  blunder  was  a  lucky  one." 

"Whew  !"  whistled  Harry. 

"That  was  lucky.  Ain't  they  a  bad  lot  though.  I  think 
I'll  clear  out  here  before  long." 

"So  would  I  if  I  were  in  your  place.  But  don't  be  in  a 
rush,  Harry.  I  suspect  that  they  are  plotting  against  the 
people  here,  and  I  want  your  aid  in  ferreting  out  their 
schemes." 

"And  you  can  count  on  me,  and  all  our  fellows,  in  fact. 
There  ain't  but  two  or  three  that  don't  belong  to  the  brother- 
hood." 


EITHER.  OR.  273 

"So  much  the  better  ;  but  you  see  I  can't  and  won't  con- 
fide in  Tom,  Dick  and  Harry." 

"Yes  you  can  and  do  confide  in  Harry,"  the  young  man 
said,  with  a  laugh. 

"I  stand  corrected.  Well  let's  keep  Harry  and  throw  the 
res-t  overboard." 

"But  what  do  you  expect  me  to  do  in  this  matter?" 

"Nothing  except  to  call  Miss  Antoinette,  when  I  tell  you. 
For  the  rest,  you  know  nothing  at  all  about  this  business,  for 
if  they  suspected  any  duplicity  on  your  part,  they  would  give 
you  the  grand  bounce  in  less  than  no  time." 

"I  see.     When  is  this  thing  going  to  come  off? " 

"Right  away.     Let  me  see.     What  time  is  it? " 

"Just  half  past  ten." 

"All  right,  you  stay  here  until  I  return." 

With  these  words  Richard  left  the  room,  and  descended 
the  large  stairway.  Before  the  entrance  he  saw  a  carriage,  to 
which  he  walked,  assisting  a  densely  veiled  lady  to  alight. 
He  offered  her  his  arm  and  said  guardedly,  while  leading  her 
to  the  entrance:  "You  see  the  man  leaning  against  the 
post?" 

"I  do." 

"Well,  he  is  a  detective.  Take  a  good  look  at  him,  to 
recognize  him,  in  case  his  services  are  needed." 

They  ascended  the  stairs  in  silence,  and  proceeded  to  the 
billiard  room,  where  Harry  was  in  waiting,  looking  expect- 
antly at  his  new  friend. 

"Harry,"  Richard  said,  with  a  purposely  loud  voice,  "can 
you  find  Mademoiselle  Antoinette  for  me? " 

"I  think  I  can,"  he  replied,  and  left  the  room. 

"Do  not  take  offense  at  her  repulsive  familiarity,  Aunt 
Iyaura,"  Richard  said  cautiously.  "Remember  that  the  patrons 
of  this  haunt  have  taught  her  to  impute  the  lowest  motives  to 
their  actions." 

She  merely  nodded,  and  a  minute  later  the  person  he  had 


274  EITHER,  OR. 

sent  for  entered.  She  made  a  deep  courtesy,  saying  :  "Bon 
jour.  Monsieur.     Vat  can  I  do  for  yon?" 

"I  want  a  room.  Mademoiselle." 

"She  cast  a  knowing  look  at  the  veiled  figure,  then  said  : 
"Je  comprends,  I  understand.  Has  Monsieur  une  pref- 
erence?" 

"Let  me  see.     Yes,  I  would  like  to  have  twenty-seven." 

The  woman  started,  then  said,  collecting  herself:  "Je 
suis  fachee,  I  am  soree,  but  twenty-seven  is  engaged."  Rich- 
ard resolved  upon  a  new  venture. 

"Well  then,  twenty-six  or  twenty-eight.  Is  either  of 
them  vacant?" 

The  woman  laughed ;  "Ah,  Monsieur  has  been  there  before. 
Yes,  twenty  six  is  at  his  service.  Weel  he  have  the  kindness 
to  follow  me  ?  " 

She  led  the  way  from  the  room  until  she  reached  a 
spacious  elevator,  luxuriously  furnished,  into  which  she  in- 
vited the  couple  with  a  gesture  of  her  hand.  They  were  rap- 
idly lifted  to  the  fourth  floor,  here  the  girl  or  woman  resumed 
her  office  as  guide,  traversing  several  corridors,  and  finally 
stopping  at  a  door  bearing  the  number  26.  She  inserted  a 
key  into  the  lock,  flung  open  the  door  and  said,  with  an  insin- 
uating smile  and  inviting  gesture :  "Entrez  :  Beacoup  de 
plairsir,  Monsieur." 

She  was  on  the  point  of  retiring,  when  Richard  exclaimed, 
pointing  to  something  behind  the  door,  as  if  displeased  with 
what  he  saw:   "What  does  this  mean?" 

The  woman  standing  outside  could  not  see  what  he  inti- 
mated. So  she  stepped  into  the  room,  her  face  showing 
wonderment  and  expectancy.  When  she  was  inside  Richard 
closed  the  door,  and  turning  to  the  woman  said  sternly : 
"Mademoiselle,  I  want  to  say  a  word  or  two  to  you.  Who  is 
in  the  next  room  ?  " 

The  woman  shrank  back  in  sudden  fear  and  said,  "what 
does  Monsieur  mean?     Nobodv  is  in  that  room." 


EITHER,  OR.  275 

"You  know  you  lie,  and  said  yourself  a  few  minutes  ago  it 
was  occupied." 

"Oh  Monsieur,  I  swear — " 

"Don't  perjure  yourself.  You  need  not  tell  me  who  is 
there,  for  you  informed  me  last  night.  Do  you  recognize  this 
slip  ?'  ' 

She  gave  a  scream  and  made  a  dash  at  the  paper.  Ward- 
ing her  off,  he  resumed:  "I  know  all  about  it,  and  have 
taken  my  measures  accordingly.     There  are  two  courses  open 

to  you.       The  first  is,  to  scream  and  alarm  the   building the 

second,  to  unlock  the  door  of  27  and  deliver  the  prisoner  into 
our  keeping.  Before  you  decide  let  me  tell  you,  that  the 
offense  of  kidnapping  an  innocent  girl  is  punished  with  a  long 
term  of  imprisonment  in  the  penitentiary  here,  and  that  an 
officer  of  the  police  is  waiting  down  stairs  to  arrest  you.  Now, 
Mademoiselle,  decide." 

"But  I  shall  call  upon  Monsieur  Cyre  to  protect  me." 

"You  may  do  as  you  please  in  that  respect,  but  you  are 
more  likely  to  secure  for  him  also  a  term  in  State  prison." 

Mademoiselle  remained  silent,  pondering  in  her  mind  the 
chances  for  an  escape  from  this  dilemma.  Richard  under- 
stood her,  and  said  firmly.  "No  evasions  Mademois.  I'll  give 
you  one  minute  to  decide.  When  it  is  up  I  shall  send  for  the 
officer." 

He  took  out  his  watch  to  time  the  seconds,  planting  his 
foot  at  the  same  time  so  firmly  against  the  door,  as  to  make 
an  attempt  to  escape  futile.  Half  the  time  of  grace  had  ex- 
pired, when  the  woman  cried  with  real  anguish  :  "But  what 
will  Mr.  Cyre  say  ?     He  will  kill  me." 

"He  need  not  know.  Tell  him  any  story  you  please,  that 
she's  escaped  during  the  night,  or  something  to  that  effect." 

"He  won't  believe  me,"  she  cried  wringing  her  hands. 

^'Perhaps  he  knows  the  measure  of  your  veracity.  Break 
the  lock,  tear  the  bedsheets,  or -something  of  that  sort.  I  want 
to  save  this  girl,  but  I  do  not  wish  to  ruin  you;  so  make  up 
your  mind  to  any  invention  you  desire  to  adopt.  But  quick, 
because  I'll  not  fool  much  longer,  I  assure  you." 


276  EITHER,  OR. 

She  wavered  a  moment,  then  said  :  "If  Monsieur 
will  help  me.  I'll  do  his  bidding.  What  does  he  propose  to 
do>" 

"Give  me  the  key  of  27." 

A  ^learn  Gf  light  shot  from  her  eyes.  vShe  probably 
thought  he  would  unlock  the  door,  and  prepare  the  prisoner 
for  flight.  In  that  case,  she  would  escape,  alarm  her  confed- 
erates, and  probably  capture  the  intruder  in  his  own  trap.  She 
handed  him  the  key  readily,  but  was  sadly  disappointed,  when 
she  saw  him  give  it  to  his  companion,  saying  inerely  :  "You 
go;   I'll  have  to  watch  her." 

Richard  remained  in  his  position,  one  foot  against  the 
door,  and  both  his  eyes  keenly  fixed  upon  Mademoiselle. 
Voices  became  audible  in  the  neighboring  room,  but  the  words 
exchanged  could  not  be  understood.  After  ten  minutes  they 
ceased,  and  shortly  after  two  veiled  figures  made  their  appear- 
ance in  the  room.  Richard  said  :  'Ah,  here  you  are.  madam » 
you  will  please  descend  to  the  pavement  and  await  my  com- 
ing. I  shall  only  tarry  to  assist  Mademoiselle  in  her  'ruse 
de  guerre,'  and  then  follow  without  delay.'"  The  woman  who 
had  come  with  Monsieur  now  took  the  other's  arm,  and  dis- 
appeared around  the  corner  of  the  next  corridor.  Then  they 
heard  the  bell  of  the  elevator  and  a  moment  later  they  felt  the 
slight  tremor  caused  by  the  descent  of  the  concern.  Richard 
waited  five  more  minutes,  then  he  addressed  Mademoiselle, 
saying  :  "Now,  let  us  go  to  27.  I'll  break  the  lock  and  dam- 
age the  door  sufficiently  to  give  your  story  the  appearance  of 
likelihood.     Come  on." 

Mademoiselle  was  completely  cowed  by  this  time.  She 
saw  that  a  cry  for  help  at  this  late  hour  would  only  make  mat- 
ters worse,  and  resolved,  therefore,  to  make  the  best  of  it,  and 
benefit  by  the  assistance  which  this  dreadful  fellow  had  of- 
fered. She  followed  him  to  the  other  room,  and  while  he 
dilapidated  the  lock  beyond  recovery,  she  tossed  up  the  bed, 
and  scattered  the  furniture  in  such  a  way  as  to  create  the 
thought  of  a  desperate  determination,  if  not  struggle. 

"So,''  he  said,  "that  ought  to  do.     I  wish  you  luck,  and 


EITHER,  OR.  275- 

trust  you  will  escape  without  injury.  To  wish  your  reform 
and  the  return  to  decency  and  virtue,  would  probably  be  mere 
wasted  breath.     Adieu,  Mademoiselle." 

With  these  words  he  left  her,  and  rapidly  gained  the 
pavement,  where  the  carriage  was  still  in  waiting.  "Drive 
home,  aunty.  It  is  all  right.  I  have  to  settle  with  Mr. 
Splaine,  but  shall  be  home  for  dinner." 

So  off  the  carriage  rolled,  while  Richard  turned  to  the 
detective,  and  said,  handing  him  a  ten  dollar  bill  :  "I  am 
very  much  obliged  for  your  assistance,  Mr.  Splaine.  When  I 
need  an  officer  again,  I  shall  take  pleasure  in  calling  on  you." 

"Do,"  the  man  said,  with  a  grin.  "It  ain't  often  that  such 
light  work  pays  so  handsomely.'' 

Richard  said  good  bye,  and  then  taking  a  streetcar,  re- 
turned home,  where  Mrs.  Kean  was  awaiting  him  with  an  im- 
patience so  feverish,  as  to  create  the  wonderment  of  the  serv- 
ants and  to  attract  the  notice  of  her  nephew  as  soon  as  she 
entered  her  room.  She  ran  to  meet  him,  drew  him  into  a 
sofa,  and  cried.  "Richard,  this  is  strange,  stranger  than  fiction, 
stranger  than  ati5?  story  I  ever  read.  Do  you  know  whom  you 
rescued  from  such  a  peril  ?" 

"I  do  not;  but  from  your  excitement,  am  prepared  for 
something  quite  remarkable." 

"You  are  right,  Dick,  quite  right,  but  can't  you  guess?" 

"Never  was  very  good  at  guessing,  aunt.  Hadn't  you 
better  tell  me?  For  your  sake,  I  mean,  seeing  that  you  will 
burst,  if  you  don't  unburden  soon." 

"Dick,  burst  isn't  a  nice  word  at  all,  and  as  a  merited  pun- 
ishment, I  ought  to  tantalize  you  a  little  longer,  but  I'll  for- 
bear and  tell  you.  The  rescued  maiden  is  Bertha  Ras- 
mussen." 

That  announcement  was  evidently  unexpected,  for  Rich- 
ard  sprang  to  his  feet,  crying  excitedly:  "You  don't  mean  it?" 

"I  do,  every  word  of  it.     Isn't  it  wonderful,  Dick?" 

"Strange  indeed,  if  true." 

"It  must  be  true,  for  she  gave    me   this    name,  and  .could 


278  EITHER,  OR. 

she,  if  it   were  not  hers  ?     She  did  not  know  your  interest  in 
such  a  girl." 

"That  sounds  reasonable,  but  this  is  really  so  strange  that 
I  can  hardly  grasp  it.  Well,  tell  me  all  about  it,  aunty,  and 
quick,  for  we  should  gladden  the  heart  ot  the  old  man  with 
the  news  as  soon  as  possible." 

"You  are  right,  my  sou.  Well,  this  is  her  story:  When  I 
first  went  into  her  room  she  looked  at  me  like  a  frightened 
doe,  and  was  inclined  to  distrust  me.  No  wonder;  the  rascal- 
ity practiced  upon  her  would  have  turned  honey  into  worm- 
wood. I  told  her  I  had  come  to  rescue  her,  and  urged  her  to 
put  on  the  veil,  and  wrap  herself  in  the  mantle  I  fetched  her. 
She  finally  obeyed,  quite  bewildered  by  the  sudden  turn  her 
fortune  seemed  to  take.  When  we  were  seated  in  the  car- 
riage, she  burst  into  a  flood  of  tears,  saying  amidst  convulsive 
sobs:  'I  trust  you  mean  me  no  harm,  madam.  I  have  been  so 
wretched,  so  miserable,  that  another  deception,  would — would 
surely  kill  me.'  " 

"I  embraced  the  poor  girl,  soothed  her  in  every  way  I 
could  think  of,  and  succeeded  in  restoring  her  to  comparative 
quietude  by  the  time  we  reached  the  house.  I  took  her  at 
once  to  my  room,  made  her  comfortable  in  one  of  Elinor's 
suits,  and  forced  her  to  eat  a  bite,  and  drink  a  glass  of  wine, 
having  forced  from  her  the  confession  that  she  had  not  tasted 
food  for  nearly  twenty-four  hours." 

"The  fiends." 

"Nay,  they  gave  her  food,  but  her  state  of  mind  impelled 
her  to  reject  it.  After  partaking  of  the  victuals  she  felt  bet- 
ter; so  I  asked  her  who  she  was,  and  where  she  lived.  I 
need  not  tell  you  how  surprised  I  was  when  she  told  me  her 
name  was  Bertha  Rasmussen." 

"It  is  strange;  but  proceed:  How  did  she  get  there?" 

"That  is  all  I  know.     She    had  just    told    me  her  name 
when  I  heard  your  step,  and  hastened  to  communicate  to  you' 
my  startling  disco  very." 

"Let  us  see  her,  then,  that  is,  if  she  is  strong  enough  for 
such  an  interview." 


EITHER,  OR.  279 

"I  shall  see.  She  lies  on  my  bed;  wait  my  return  here, 
Richard." 

vShe  entered  an  adjoining  room  and  a  minute  later  returned 
with  their  young  protege  leaning  upon  her  arm.  Richard  saw 
a  very  handsome  girl  of  the  most  pronounced  blonde  type, 
standing  before  him.  It  was  the  pure  type  of  the  extreme 
north,  in  almost  faultless  perfection.  Her  complexion  was 
snowy;  hair  of  yellowness  crowned  her  head,  and  eyes  of  the 
deepest  azure  beamed  mildly  upon  him.  Her  lips  and  cheeks 
were  pale,  probably  blanched  by  terror  and  grief,  but  Richard 
imagined  that  a  rosy  hue  was  wont  to  dwell  there  under  or- 
dinary circumstances,  and  felt  a  thrill  of  satisfaction  at  the 
thought  of  his  power  to  recall  these  roses.  When  the  two 
entered  he  rapidly  arose,  advanced  a  few  steps  and  said,  tak- 
ing the  hand  of  the  girl :  "*I  bid  you  welcome  under  our  roof, 
Miss  Rasmussen.  L,ay  aside  all  fear,  for  you  are  perfectly 
safe  under  aunt's  care." 

Her  eyes  filled  with  tears.  "Oh,  I  thank  you,"  she  cried, 
"I  thank  you  with  all  my  heart  for — for  taking  me  from 
that  dreadful  place.     I — I — " 

vShe  broke  down,  and  the  tears  flowed  copiously  over  her 
cheeks.  Mrs.  Kean  led  her  caressingly  to  an  arm-chair, 
forcing  her  gently  down,  and  said  :  "There  now,  my  dear,  do 
not  thiuk  of  it  any  more.  The  danger  is  past,  and  under  our 
protection  you  need  not  fear  its  return.  How  do  you  feel 
now?  Are  you  strong  enough  to  tell  us  how  you  came  to  the 
city,  in  fact,  all  about  you,  to  enable  us  to  help  you  intelli- 
gently ?  " 

"I  am  strong  enough  madam,  but  I  have  but  little  to  tell. 
My  parents  lived  at  Four  Roads  Corner,  a  little  village  in  the 
interior  of  the  State.  My  father  has  been  dead  these  ten 
years,  and  my  mother" — -she  choked  a  little  at  this  place — - 
"followed  him  about  eighteen  months  ago.  She  left  little. 
Our  place  was  encumbered  to  fully  its  value,  so  I  wrote  to  an 
uncle  living  in  Sweden,  and  begged  his  protection.  Receiving 
no  answer,  I  wrote  a  second  time,  then  a  third  time.  All  in 
vain,  and  I    finally  came  to  the  conclusion  that  he  was  dead. 


280  EITHER.  OR. 

1  tried  to  make  a  living  in  the  village,  but  the  people  are  all 
of  them  poor,  so  I  resolved  to  go  to  Plutopolisand  try  my  luck 
there.  I  am  skilled  in  sewing,  and  other  little  arts  of  that 
kind,  and  hoped  to  turn  them  to  a  better  account  here.  I  sold 
the  few  pieces  of  furniture  I  possessed,  and  bought  a  ticket 
for  the  city.  On  board  the  train  I  found  a  lady  who  pretend- 
ed to  take  a  lively  interest  in  me  and  befriended  me  in  a 
manner  very  agreeable  to  me.  As  I  was  inexperienced  and 
dreaded  the  big  city  with  its  multitude  of  strangers,  the 
lady  persuaded  me  to  go  with  her,  promising  me  remunera- 
tive employment.  Alas  !  I  yielded  but  too  readily,  and  fell 
without  suspicion  into  the  trap  she  had  set  for  me.  I  would 
have  fallen  in,  if  it  had  been  ever  so  clumsy,  for  I  had  never 
mingled  with  strangers,  and  was  incapable  of  discerning  be- 
tween truth  and  deception.  I  was  taken  to  that  place  last 
Monday,  and — and — oh  do  not  insist  upon  a  description  of  the 
agony  I  suffered  there  by  day  and  night." 

"Of  course  not,  my  dear.  Banish  all  recollection  of  the 
place  from  your  mind,  and  rejoice  at  the  certainty  of 
peace  and  happiness,  for  rest  assured  Bertha,  that  we  shall 
befriend  you  and  secure  for  you  a  future  free  from  care  and 
harm." 

"You  are  so  good,''  she  exclaimed  fervently,  folding  her 
hands  and  looking  from  one  to  the  other  with  volumes  of 
gratitude  in  her  beautiful  eyes.     'You  are  so  good.'' 

"Tut,  tut,"  Richard  exclaimed  deprecatingly,  "don't  make 
us  blush.  By  the  way,  you  did  not  give  us  your  Uncle's 
name." 

"Professor  Erric  Andersen." 

He  knew  the  name,  of  course,  but  asked  to  introduce 
into  her  mind  some  hope  and  expectancy  of  finding  her 
relative. 

"Andersen.''  he  echoed."  "Why.  I  have  read  that  name 
in  the  papers  recently,  and  am  almost  sure  a  person  bearing 
that  name  is  in  the  city." 

She  rose  excitedly.  "Is  it  possible?"  she  cried,  again 
folding  her   hands    beseechingly.      "Oh,  take  me  to  him  then 


EITHER,  OR.  281 

or  bring  him  here.  He  is  my  mother's  brother,  and  so  good, 
so  good." 

"Then  you  know  him?" 

"Only  by  his  letters.  But  you  will  find  him  for  me,  good 
friends — will  you  not?" 

"We  shall  try,"  said  Mrs.  kean,  "but  here  is  the  dinner 
bell.  Come  dear,  you  have  been  starving  for  a  week,  and 
must  try  to  regain  your  strength  and  buoyancy  to  cheer  your 
uncle,  when  you  meet  him." 

Youth  is  the  period  of  intensity.  Extreme  sorrow  jumps 
into  ecstacy,  and  the  reader  need  not  marvel  when  we  tell  him 
that  this  fair  creature  rapidly  revived  under  the  kind  and  ten- 
der care  of  new  friends.  At  dinner  she  was  introduced  to 
Elinor,  and  made  the  acquaintance  of  Master  George,  who  at 
once  vouchsafed  to  her  his  friendship  and  protection,  and 
aided  much  in  diverting  her  thoughts  from  the  dreadful  ex- 
perience of  the  past  week.  After  dinner  Richard  took  up  the 
paper  and  said,  suddenly,  with  cheerful  emphasis;  "Wh}r, 
Miss  Bertha,  here  is  an  advertisement  concerning  you. 
Listen."  And  then  he  read  to  her  the  lines  which  he  had 
caused  to  be  inserted  some  time  ago.  She  jumped  up, 
dancing  in  glee,  and  crying:  "O  dear!  O  dear!  Can  it  be  pos- 
sible.    Say,  Mr.  Velder,  can  we  go  there  at  once?  " 

"We  must  be  cautious,  Miss  Bertha.  You  may  not  find 
your  uncle  there,  but  only  news  concerning  him,  and  if  you 
find  him,  the  sudden  shock  may  hurt  him.  He  must  be 
tolerably  up  in  years  from  what  you  tell  us." 

"Yes.  nearly  seventy." 

"Well,  then,  let  me  manage  this  for  you.  I  will  use  all 
the  dispatch  I  can,  and  return  soon,  as  the  place  is  very  near." 

She  submitted  with  good  grace  to  his  suggestions,  but 
begged  him  to  hurry  with  such  pleading  earnestness,  that  he 
snatched  his  hat  and  started  for  the  grocery.  He  was  a  little 
dubious  in  regard  to  the  efficiency  of  his  disguise,  or  rather  its 
removal,  but  trusted  that  a  determined  front  would  avert  a 
dangerous  inquisitiveness  on  the  part  of  the  Professor.  In 
the    store    he  inquired   for    Mr.    Grad,  and  the    busy    clerks 


282  HITHER.  OR. 

directed  hitn  without  the  scrutiny  which  he  had  anticipated. 
"Kleider  machen  Leute,"  the  Germans  say,  and  his  stylish  and 
costly  suit  of  the  finest  black  broadcloth  precluded  so  effectu- 
ally of  the  comparison  with  the  rough  and  poor  clad  tinker, 
that  they  failed  to  make  it.  Gottlieb  accosted  him  civilly,  but 
indifferently,  telling  him  that  he  would  find  Mr.  Andersen  in 
the  attic  room  of  the  new  building.  So  up  he  climbed,  and 
upon  the  inmate's  summons,  entered  the  room. 

"Professor  Andersen?"  he  inquired. 

The  old  man  started,  eagerly  expecting  to  see  the  person 
his  memory  associated  with  this  familiar  voice.  At  the  sight 
of  this  elegantly  dressed  gentleman,  who,  moreover,  observed 
a  distant  reserve,  he  started  and  said  confusedly  in  reply  to 
the  other's  salutation  :  "Excuse  me,  sir,  I  thought  I  expected 
to  meet  an  acquaintance,  whose  voice  is  strangely  like  yours. 
What  can   I   do  for  you?     Be  seated,    if  you   please." 

"You  are  the  gentleman  to  whom  this  advertisement  refers, 
I  presume?" 

The  old  man  started  again.  "My  name  is  Eric  Andersen, 
and  I  am  the  party  to  which  the  advertisement  refers.  Can 
it  be  possible  that  Bertha  has  been  found  ?" 

"There  are  strong  clues  to  her,  at  least.  My  name  is 
Yelder,  I  think  you  know  my  aunt,  Mrs.  Kean." 

"Very  well,  and  have  heard  much  of  you,  sir.  But  will 
you  please  inform  me  of  the  nature  of  your  discoveries." 

"My  aunt  is  better  qualified  to  do  so.  Would  it  be  too 
much  ot  a  trouble  to  accompany  me  to  our  house?" 

"Of  course  not.  I  would  go  to  the  end  of  the  world  to 
find  my  niece.     I  am  ready,  sir." 

They  left  the  building,  and  were  soon  seated  in  Mrs. 
Kean's  room.  She  shook  hands  with  him,  and  said  cordially: 
"I  have  good  news  for  you,  professor.  The  whereabouts  of 
your  niece  have  been  discovered.  Are  you  strong  enough  to 
meet  her  soon?" 

"I  am  strong  enough  to  meet  her,  madam,"  he  said  husk- 
ily, "but  I  am   not  strong  enough  to  bear  disappointment  or 


EITHER,  OR.  283 

even  suspense.  So,  bear  with  an  old  man,  and  do  not  torture 
him  with  well-meant  caution." 

"You  are  right,  Mr.  Andersen.  Learn  then,  that  your 
niece  is  in  this  building.  I'll  go  and  prepare  her  for  this  meet- 
ing." She  returned  after  a  short  absence,  leading  by  the  hand 
the  maiden  who,  in  the  old  man's  eyes,  was  fair  as  one  of  the 
houris  of  Mohamet's  Paradise. 

"Here  she  is,"  she  said  pleasantly,  then  turned  and  left 
the  room,  unwilling  to  mar  the  scene  sure  to  ensue. 

Shall  we  be  less  discreet,  dear  reader?  Nay,  let  us  follow 
her,  and  leave  the  pair,  to  enjoy  undisturbed  by  our  presence, 
one  of  the  happiest  moments  of  their  lives. 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

NOT  ALL  THAT  GLITTERS  IS  GOLD. 

Does  the  reader  remember  the  brave  girl  so  roughly 
handled  by  Billingsgate  on  the  evening  of  the  riot  ?  If  so,  is 
"he,  beg  pardon,  she,  not  anxious  to  learn  more  of  her  ?  Yes. 
Well,  let  us  retrace  our  steps,  and  follow  her  into  the  street 
car,  where  her  dilapidated  appearance  created  some  surprise 
and  even  comment.  True,  she  had  thrown  away  her  torn 
jacket  before  entering  ;  but  the  absence  of  a  head  dress  and 
the  crumpled  condition  of  her  dress,  could  not  help  attracting 
attention. 

"Had  an  accident,  miss?"  the  conductor  inquired  on  col- 
lecting the  fare. 

"The  horses  ran  away,"  she  said  quietly.  "Please  stop 
for  me  corner  Fortieth." 

"At  the  Cheatham  mansion?" 

"Corner  Fortieth,  I  said,"  she  replied  so  emphatically, 
that  he  refrained  from  further  remarks,  stopping  in  due  season 
at  the  corner  indicated.  When  she  had  alighted,  he  went  to 
the  driver  in  front  and  said  emphatically,  but  in  a  confiden- 
tial undertone. :  "I'll  be  blasted  if  that  wasn't  Miss  Cheatham 


284  EITHER,  OR. 

herself.  Wonder  what  row  she  has  been  in.  Looked  quite 
used  up  she  did." 

"Didn't  you  ask  her?" 

"She  said  the  horses  had  run  away,  but  it  looks  mighty 
much  like  a  fib.     I'd  give  a  nickel  to  know." 

Meanwhile  the  girl  had  proceeded  until  she  reached  the 
portals  of  a  magnificent  palace.  Let  us  anticipate  her 
entrance  and  acquaint  ourselves  with  the  building  and  its  in- 
mates. 

We  are  not  over  fond  of  describing  gorgeous  edifices  or 
grand  festivities  whose  purpose  is  the  catering  of  the  animal 
appetite.  Such  descriptions  are  tantalizing  to  poor  devils 
such  as  we  are.  They  are  toq  much  like  the  epicurian  ban- 
quet derived  from  the  reading  of  the  cook  book,  to  suit  our 
taste.  Besides,  they  tend  towards  exciting  the  env}'  of  the 
reader,  a  misdemeanor  of  which  we  would  not  be  guilt}'  for 
the  most  tempting  consideration,  our  sole  and  only  aim  being 
to  elevate  his  character  and  improve  his  morals.  So  we 
merely  say:  This  mansion  was  a  truly  grand  affair,  furnished 
in  the  most  luxurious  manner,  and  filled  with  everything 
desirable:  including  happiness?  you  inquire.  Nay.  reader, 
that  is  about  the  only  thing  wealth  does  not  insure  or  presup- 
pose, and  we  leave  it  to  your  own  self  to  draw  your  con- 
clusions as  to  that  a  little  further  on. 

We  enter  the  private  apartment  of  the  owner  and  master 
of  all  this  wealth,  and  find  him  seated  in  any  easy  chair. 
His  countenance,  however,  betrays  anything  but  ease.  On 
the  contrary,  it  betokens  anger  and  indignation,  scowling 
fiercely  upon  another  person,  the  only  inmate  of  the  room  be- 
side the  owner.     Now  he  speaks  : 

"You  have  my  ultimatum,  sir.  I  shall  no  longer  cater  to- 
your  idle  and  vicious  tastes,  and  if  you  do  not  at  once  accept 
and  faithfully  discharge  the  trust  offered  you  without  so  much 
urbanity,  and  accompanied  with  such  enticing  emoluments,  I 
shall  withdraw  my  support  and  leave  you  to  your  fate." 

The  party  addressed  was  a  man  young  in  years,  but  old 
in  dissipation,  which  had  emaciated   his  form,  and  marked  his 


EITHER,  OR.  285 

features.  He  did  not  appear  deeply  impressed  with  the 
threat  he  had  listened  to,  but  said  with  a  yawn:  "You  are  jok- 
ing, Senator.  It  would  sound  well  in  Gold  street  or  the  capi- 
tol,  that  Senator  Cheatham  cut  off  his  son  with  a  shilling." 

"I  do  not  care  how  it  sounds,  or  how  it  looks.  A  shilling 
you  say?  Is  that  the  sum  a  generous  law  compels  one  to 
leave  a  prodigal  son?  Here  is  yours,"  (flinging  a  small  coin 
to  the  other's  feet ;)  "now  be  gone,  and  don't  confront  me  again 
until  you  bring  with  you  the  promise  aud  determination  to 
<Jo  my  bidding." 

"But,  Senator — " 

"Don't  senator  me,  sir.  You  have  my  last  word,  and  will 
■oblige  me  by  a  speedy  retirement  from  these  quarters." 

The  other  yawned  again,  then  stretched  himself,  arose 
and  withdrew,  whistling  the  "Rogue's  March." 

"An  appropriate  air,"  the  older  man  murmured,  half  bit- 
terly, probably  thinking  of  his  worthy  offspring  in  connection 
with  the  melody,  without  a  faint  suspicion  of  the  possibility 
of  a  different  construction. 

"I  trust  this  will  bring  him  to  his  senses.  I  am  tired  of 
paying  his  bills,  and  smoothing  over  his  peccadillos  which 
threaten  to  assume  an  ugh-  character  if  allowed  to  grow. 
Well,  what  is  it  now  ?  A  fellow  cannot  work  a  minute  with- 
out being  interrupted." 

The  last  words  were  provoked  by  a  noise  at  the  door,  and 
the  entrance  of  a  lady,  who  requires,  nay  deserves  a  close  des- 
cription. 

She  appeared  slightly  over  forty,  but  time,  instead  of 
wrinkling  her  features,  seemed  to  have  frozen  them.  No 
other  word  could  express  half  so  well  the  cast  of  her  counte- 
nance. Her  features  seemed  frozen,  preserving  the  intactness 
characteristic  to  frozen  matter,  but  also  their  icy  chill.  She 
had  been  very  beautiful — she  was  beautiful  even  then,  but  it 
was  the  beauty  of  marble,  marble  chiseled  in  the  frigid  zone. 
She  had  beautiful  golden  hair,  and  eyes  of  violet  blue,  but 
eyes  partaking  of  the  general  iciness  of  the   apparition.     Her 


2.S6  EITHER.  OR. 

face  was  pale,  not  of  the  silky  hue,  common  with  consump- 
tives, but  pale  like  ivory  or  alabaster. 

She  glided  nearer,  until  she  was  within  half  a  dozen  steps 
of  the  other ;  then  she  said  in  a  voice  strangely  contrasting 
with  the  terrible  import  of  her  words: 

"Blanche  has  been  killed,  John." 

A  curse  from  the  other's  lips  stopped  her. 

"Woman,  are  you  crazj-  to  talk  that  way  ?  What  does 
John  say  ?     Where  is  he  ?  " 

He  walked  to  the  door,  jerked  it  open  and  cried  :  "John  • 
John  !  " 

"Yes,  sir,"  a  voice  responded,  and  a  moment  later  its 
owner  stood  within  the  room.  His  master  at  once  saw  that 
something  unusual,  something  terrible  must  have  happened, 
for  his  hair  hung  disheveled  around  his  face,  his  hands  and 
face  were  soiled,  and  his  clothes  in  disorder. 

"What  is  this  I  hear?"  the  senator  gasped,  now 
thoroughlv  alarmed.  "Where  is  Blanche?  What  has  befallen 
her  ? " 

"I  fear  they  have  killed  her  surr,"  the  fellow  cried,  his  lips 
shaking  and  his  teeth  clattering. 

"Killed  her,  you  dolt?  You  are  drunk.  Killed  her?  And 
you  dare  to  show  vour  face  here  and  tell  me  ?" 

"And  it  wasn't  I  as  could  help  it,  your  honor.  You  see  it 
was  thus :" 

And  then  he  proceeded  to  give  a  disconnected  account  of 
the  affairs,  alleging  that  the  woman  had  whipped  his  horses 
causing  them  to  run  away,  and  refusing  to  obey  the  reins, 
until  it  was  too  late.  We  know  that  he  embelished  the  real 
state  of  affairs  and  need  not  point  out  the  reason.  When  he 
had  done,  the  senator  uttered  a  deep  groan,  saying:  "And 
here  we  stand,  instead  of  going  to  the  rescue.  Quick  !  Alarm 
the  servants !  Arm  every  one  of  them  and  send  them  to  the 
scene  of  outrage." 

"They  have  been  sent,  now,"  said  the  lady  with  the  same 
frozen  quietude,  "You  are  the  only  man  in  the  house  except 
this  coward.     Why  don't  you  go  ?  " 


EITHER.  OR.  287 

There  was  an  indescribable  tone  of  utter  contempt  in  her 
voice,  which  irritated  the  senator.  He  was  on  the  point  of 
making  a  furious  reply,  when  a  servant  girl  rushed  into  the 
room  with  a  mixture  of  weeping  and  laughing.  "She  is  here, 
Miss  Blanche  is  here.     She  is  all  right,  ma'am,  all  right." 

Then  a  reaction  came  over  the  lady,  if  a  frozen  statue  is 
capable  of  such  a  thing.  She  laid  her  hand  upon  her  bosom  ; 
a  slight  flush  came  into  her  face,  and,  with  a  half  whispered, 
"Thank  Heaven,"  she  glided  from  the  room.  "Where  is 
Blanche?"  she  inquired  of  the  girl  who  followed  her.  When 
she  learned  that  Miss  Cheatham  had  retired  to  her  room,  she 
went  up  a  flight  of  stairs,  and  finally  knocked  at  a  door  of  the 
second  story.  Upon  a  "come  in  !"  she  opened  the  door  and 
saw  her  daughter  lying  on  a  lounge,  evidently  unstrung  by 
some  recent  terrible  ordeal,  but  otherwise  unharmed.  The 
girl  rose  at  the  sight,  and  when  her  mother  had  glided  up  to 
her,  sank  into  her  embrace.  For  fully  a  minute  the  two  stood 
thus  entwined,  the  pale  lady  betraying  an  emotion  doubl}- 
startling  by  the  contrast  of  her  general  demeanor.  There  was 
one  spot  evidently,  which  had  not  been  frozen — her  mother's 
heart.  When  finally  they  released  each  other,  they  sat  down 
side  by  side,  their  hands  still  clasped  in  a  firm  grasp.  Then 
the  mother  said  :  "Tell  me  all  about  it.  Was  your  life  really 
in  danger,  my  dear?" 

"I  think  it  was,  mamma.  I  think  I  would  have  been 
torn  to  pieces,  but  for  the  assistance  of  a  young  man  who  de- 
fended me  against  a  crowd  of  infuriated  women,  and  brought 
me  out  in  safety." 

She  then  told  the  whole  affair,  avoiding  purposely  the 
superlatives  so  liberally  applied  by  j'oung  ladies  generally, 
but  using  nevertheless,  a  pathos,  bringing  the  occurrence 
vividly  before  her  mother's  eye.  She  said  not  a  word  in 
praise  of  her  rescuers,  but  when  she  spoke  of  him,  her  tone 
assumed  a  fervor  betraying  clearly  to  the  other  the  intensity 
of  her  feelings  on  that  point. 

"And  his  name?"  she  inquired,  when  the  girl  had  done. 
"He  must  be  liberally  rewarded." 


288  EITHER,  OR. 

Blanche  made  a  gesture  of  impatience.  "He  is  not  ot 
that  sort,"  she  said  warmly.  "As  to  his  name,  I  asked  him 
for  it,  but  failed  to  catch  it,  on  account  of  the  noise  of  the 
starting  car.  No,  mamma,  we  shall  never  see  him  again,  and  I 
long  so  to  thank  him." 

Her  looks  were  so  absent  as  to  attract  her  mother's  at- 
tention. "Blanche,"  she  said,  as  if  wishing  to  divert  her 
daughter's  thoughts  from  that  subject,  "do  you  know  that 
you  were  very  imprudent  to  expose  yourself  in  this  manner  ?" 

"I  know  now.  mamma.  I  had  no  idea  how  terrible  the 
passions  of  human  beings  can  be  aroused.  It  is  want  and 
poverty  which  make  them  so  intense." 

"Hardly,  my  daughter.  Believe  me,  passions  are  as  fur- 
rious  amongst  the  wealthy  as  among  the  poor." 

"I  suppose  so.  mamma,  but  I  think,  yes  I  feel  convinced, 
that  it  is  the  extremes  which  make  them  so.  You  know  I 
have  always  thought  it  wrong  to  possess  so  manv  millions. 
Now,  I  know  it  to  be  wrong  and  sinful  in  the  extreme." 

"I  cannot  contradict  you,  child,  for  there  is  perhaps  no 
human  being  in  this  wide  land  that  knows  the  hollowness  of 
wealth  better  than  I.  But  you  must  be  tired.  I  will  leave 
you  to  get  that  repose  you  need  so  badly  to  restore  your 
strength.     Good  night,  my  darling." 

On  the  following  morning  Miss  Cheatham  was  more  than 
usually  pensive.  She  spent  most  of  her  time  in  her  room, 
visited  occasionally  by  her  mother,  who  would  say  a  kind 
word,  and  then  disappear,  moving  about  with  a  placidity  of  a 
statue,  or  the  noiselessness  of  a  spirit.  About  ten  o'clock  Mr. 
Cheatham  entered  his  daughter's  room.  He  closed  the  door 
carefully,  then  walked  up  to  her  and  said,  standing  up  and 
confronting  her:  "Blanche,  what  escapades  are  these?  What 
business  had  you  in  the  Irish  quarter  at  such  an  unseasonable 
hour?  Are  you  not  aware  that  people  will  talk  of  you,  and 
that  such  talk  reflects  on  your  parents? " 

"I  am  sorry,  father.  I  had  no  idea  that  there  was  any 
danger  connected  with  the  drive,  or  I  would  not  have  gone.'' 

"Well,  I  trust  you  will  abstain  from    such  romantic  trips 


KITHER,  OR. 


289 


hereafter.  Some  new-fangled  notions  have  upset  your  judg- 
ment, and  caused  you  to  imagine  that  such  friendly  visits  to 
the  poor  and  downtrodden  will  improve  their  condition.  I 
know  the  world  and  can  assure  you  that  they  do  not,  but  that 
they  cause  provoking  articles  for  the  newspapers." 

A  blush  rose  in  the  girl's  cheeks.  "Was  my  name  men- 
tioned?" she  inquired,  eagerly. 

"Not  your  name,  but  some  circumstance  bringing  the 
thing  pretty  well  home  to  us.  I  came  in  to  warn  you  kindly, 
and  to  ask  you  at  the  same  time  :  What  answer  am  I  to  give 
to  Count  Suwarow  ?  It  is  over  a  month  now  since  he  honored 
you  by  asking  your  hand  in  marriage,  and  you  continue  to 
hold  him  off — I — " 

The  girl  rose  from  her  seat,  standing  before  him  with  that- 
calm  dignity  so  peculiar  to  her. 

"I  do  not  hold  him  off,"  she  said  coldly,  "on  the  contrary, 
I  told  him  kindly,  but  positively,  from  the  start,  that T  do  not 
love  him,  and  therefore  can  not  and  will  not  marry  him." 

The  Senator  winced  under  her  words  and  evidently  was 
inclined  to  be  angry, 

"That's  all  nonsense  and  school  girl's  romance.  Life  is 
real,  life  is  earnest,  and  a  girl  of  your  intelligence  cannot  help 
seeing  that  such  romance  has  little  to  do  with  it,  and  that 
wealth,  power  and  position  are  agencies  too  potent  to  be  jested 
with.  Count  Suwarow  is  the  plenipotentiary  of  Russia  to  our 
country.  He  is  one  of  the  most  powerful  men  of  his  native 
land,  and  so  rich  that  he  is  actually  incapable  of  forming  an 
estimate  of  his  wealth.  You  were  lucky  enough  to  attract 
the  attention  and  win  the  affection  of  such  a  man,  and  now 
you  come  and  tell  me  that  you  do  not  love  him.  What  does 
it  matter  ?  In  marrying  him  you  secure  a  position  in  which 
you  can  follow  the  bent  of  your  inclination  in  every  partic- 
ular. I^ove  him.  Are  you  not  aware  that  nine  people  out  of 
ten  marry  without  love?  " 

"I  am  assured  by  persons  who    ought  to  know  that  such 
is  the  case." 

"And  they  informed  you  right.     Come,  will    you   author- 


2c)o  EITHKR.OR. 

ize  me  to  bring  the  Count  the  news    of  your  acceptance ?. 

"Not  to-day,  father." 

"Blanche,  do  not  provoke  me,"  he  cried,  angrily.  "I  have 
spoiled  you  by  humoring  every  whim  of  yours,  but  beware! 
There  is  a  limit  to  everything,  my  patience  included.  I  want 
an  answer,  miss." 

She  stood  pensively,  evidently  weighing  what  she  should- 
say  to  him.  At  length  she  gazed  at  him  steadily  and  said: 
"Give  me  this  day,  father.  I  promise  you  solemnly  to  give 
you  a  plain  and  unvarnished  answer  to  morrow  morning." 

"Very  well,"  he  replied,  after  a  moment's  thought.  "Be 
a  prudent  girl,  Blanche,  and  do  not  throw  away  chances,  at 
which  hundreds  of  girls  would  jump  with  alacrity." 

"I'll  tell  you  to-morrow,  father." 

"Very  well.  Good  bye,  Blanche,  I'll  have  to  go  down 
town  on  business." 

When  hehad  left,  Blanche  remained  fully  five  minutes  in  the 
same  position  ;  but  her  thoughts  were  rather  dreamy  in  char- 
acter, rocking  before  her  vision  a  certain  image  surrounded 
with  direful  caricature  as  an  offset.  At  length  she  started 
and,  heaving  a  sigh,  left  her  room  for  that  of  her  mother. 
She  found  that  lady  seated  in  an  arm  chair,  glancing  over  the 
leaves  of  a  new  novel.  On  seeing  her  child  enter,  her  face 
brightened  a  little  and  pointing  to  her  side,  she  said  invitingly : 
"Come  daughter,  sit  here,  and  talk  to  me.  I  have  the  blues, 
and  your  chat  may  perchance  drive  them  away." 

The  girl  shook  her  head  pensively.  Drawing  a  low  stool 
to  her  mother's  feet,  she  sat  down  on  it,  and  said  rather 
solemnly:  "Mother,  I  come  to  you  for  advice.  In  truth,  I  lay 
my  destiny  in  your  hands,  and  as  you  decide,  so  will  I  act. 
You  are  my  judge,  you  see,  and  a  judge  is  always  placed 
above  the  culprit.  So  I'll  sit  on  this  stool  to  await  your  de- 
cision." 

"You  are  no  culprit  dear.  When  could  my  darling  have 
committed  a  crime  deserving  that  name  ?  " 

"Well,  client,  then." 

"And  you  are  serious,  child?" 


EITHER.  OR.  .  291 

"'Very    serious,     mother,    as    you    will    soon    perceive." 

"But   you    charge    me    with    a    terrible    responsibility, 
Blanche." 

"You  love  me,  mother— that  suffices.  I  know  your 
decision  will  be  guided  by  this  love,  and  love  you,  know,  can- 
not err.  Now  listen  :  Father  was  in  my  room  just  now  urging 
me  to  say  'Yes'  to  Count  Suwarow's  wooing.  First  I  will 
argue  the  case  as  it  appears  to  me,  and  then  you  shall  decide. 
The  laws  of  men  and  the  precepts  of  religion  tell  us  that  it  is 
our^duty  to  obey  our  parents.  Father  has  always  been  kind 
to  me,  and  I  should  like  very  much  to  repay  him  by  a  ready 
obedience  to  his  wishes  or  commands.  On  the  other  hand, 
I  do  not  love  the  Count— yea,  the  manifestation  of  his 
urgent  prayers  has  filled  me  towards  him  with  something  akin 
to  repugnance.  Now,  mother,  you  know  the  whole  case,  and 
my  sentiments  concerning  it.  Decide  my  fate,  for,  as  I  said, 
I  shall  consider  your  decision  as  fiual  and  binding." 

It  would  have  been  interesting  to  trace  the  thoughts  and 
sentiments  passing  through  this  woman  during  these  words. 
They  were  exceedingly  tumultous,  as  we  shall  see  before  long. 
Outwardly,  however,  she  appeared  unmoved,  making  it  appear 
as  if  her  features  were  a  frozen  sea,  incapable  of  indicating  the 
condition  of  the  billows  below.  She  sat  there  fully  five 
minutes  wrapt  in  deep  and  painful  meditation.  She  seemed 
to  fight  an  inward  struggle  at  the  same  time,  for  she  heaved  a 
deep  sigh,  and  said  to  her  child,  every  syllable  tinctured  with 
the  essence  of  unspeakable  love.  "I  have  decided,  Blanche, 
but  not  in  spoken  words  will  I  communicate  my  verdict  to 
you.     Wait  here  one  minute." 

She  arose  and  went  into  her  bed  chamber,  whence  she 
returned  a  few  minutes  later  bearing  in  her  hands  some  sheets 
of  paper.  Handing  them  to  Blanche,  she  resumed:  "Take 
these  to  your  room  and  read  them.  As  I  said  before,  they 
will  speak  for  themselves.  Return  them  when  you  have 
done,  and  let  no  other  mortal  eye  catch  a  glimpse  of  them. 
They  contain  bitter   medicine  my  darling,  and   will  convince 


292  EITHER.  OR. 

you  that  whatever  feeling  I  am  entertaining  towards  others,  I 
love  you,  my  darling,  with  every  fibre  of  my  soul." 

She  nodded  gently,  and  pushed  the  girl  coaxingly,  as  if  she 
■would  urge  her  to  begin  the  perusal  without  delay.  So 
Blanche  kissed  her  tenderly,  and  then  went  to  her  room, 
whose  door  she  locked.  Then  she  shoved  an  easy  chair  into 
a  favorable  light  and  read  as  follows  : 

Jan.  ioth,  1 8 — 

It  is  very  chilly,  but  it  is  not  the  low  temperature  which 
has  frozen  my  blood.  There  has  been  a  fearful  tempest  in  the 
house,  which  has  up-rooted  all  the  flowers  of  my  heart  and 
blasted  the  prospects  of  happiness  for  this  life.  I  wonder  that 
I  can  say  this ;  I  wonder  still  more  that  I  can  narrate  this 
tempest,  and  dissect  with  cruel  indifference  the  tissues  of  a 
bleeding  heart.  I  suppose  it  is  the  necessity  of  having  a 
willing  ear  into  which  I  can  pour  my  grief,  which  induces  me 
to  take  the  pen  and  chronicle  the  events  of  this  dreadful 
morning  which  broke  so  cheerfully,  and  smote  us  all  so  cruelly 
We  had  a  late  breakfast,  and  when  it  was  over,  papa,  who 
generally  leaves  for  his  bank  at  once,  tarried,  following  me 
from  room  to  room,  as  if  desirous  of  speaking  to  me.  At  last 
I  turned  laughingly  upon  him,  saying:  "Well,  Pa,  what  is  it? 
Can  I  da  anything  for  you  ?  " 

He  started,  and'turned  pale.  "Yes  child"  he  said  huskily; 
"You  can  do  something  for  me,  and  if  you  will  come  into  my 
room  I  will  tell  you  what  it  is." 

Little  did  I  dream  of  the  nature  of  the  terrible  revelations 
in  store  for  me.  Indeed  they  smote  me  doubly  on  account  of 
their  unexpectedness. 

When  we  had  seated  ourselves  in  his  study,  he  began: 

"Eva  you  know  Josephus  Cheatham  ?  " 

"The  clerk  in  your  bank?"  I  asked  wonderingly. 

"The  very  one:  what  do  you  think  of  him  ?  " 

"Nothing,"  I  replied  with  a  laugh:  "What  should  I  think 
of  him  ?  I  have  never  thought  it  necessarv  to  trouble  my 
thoughts  concerning  him." 


EITHER.  OR.  293 

"Well,  my  dear  child,  you  will  have  to  do  that  hereafter, 
for  Mr.  Cheatham  has  asked  your  hand  in  marriage.'' 

I  rose  quickly  to  my  feet,  and  looked  at  him  wonderingly 
thinking  I  did  not  hear  aright.     "What  did  you  say? " 

He  repeated  his  words,  whereupon  I  started,  saying : 

"Father,  you  are  making  sport  of  me.  What  have  I  done 
to  deserve  such  treatment?  If  Mr.  Cheatham  has  had  the  im- 
pudence you  mentioned,  was  it  not  enough  to  simply  show 
him  his  place?" 

I  noticed  that  father  was  greatly  troubled.  The  perspira- 
tion ran  from  his  forehead,  and  he  continued  with  a  great 
effort  at  composure:  "Daughter,  listen  to  me.  There  are 
reasons  which  make  it  paramount  for  you  and  me  to  treat  his 
proposition  leniently,  nay  to  accept  it.  Now  listen  to  me," 
he  continued,  when  he  saw  that  I  was  on  the  point  of  utter- 
ing a  vehement  protest ;  "Cheatham  has  discovered  papers, 
which  put  it  in  his  power  to  reduce  us  to  beggary." 

"Let  him  do  it  then,''  I  cried  cheerfully.  "Better  poor 
than  his  wife." 

"You  talk  like  an  idiot,"  he  exclaimed,  angrily.  "Do  you 
know  what  poverty,  especially  genteel  poverty  means?  Of 
course  you  do  not  or  you  would  not  talk  that  way.  But  this 
is  not  all,  Eva.  You  remember  your  uncle's  unfortunate 
death?" 

"Yes,  he  was  asphyxiated." 

"But  you  do  not  know  that  I  was  in  your  uncle's  room  as 
late  as  ten  o'clock  that  night,  and  that  Cheatham  saw  me  com- 
ing out  of  it.  Eva,  I  swear  to  you  by  all  that  is  sacred, 
that—" 

"Stop  father,"  I  cried,  once  more  rising  to  my  feet.  "Has 
it  come  to  this?  Is  it  necessary  for  you  to  swear  to  convince 
your  daughter  you  are  not  a  murderer?" 

He  recoiled  under  these  words. 

"I  thank  you,  Eva,  for  this  confidence.  No,  thank 
heaven,  I  am  not  a  murderer ;  but  the  world  knows  that  my 
brother's  death  has  made  me  a  millionaire,  and    if  Cheatham 


294  EITHER,  OR. 

whispers  his  knowledge  to  a  few,  I  shall  soon  stand  branded 
as  a  murderer." 

"You  are  innocent, "  I  cried  encouraging^.  "So  brave 
them  all  and  live  their  suspicion  down." 

He  shook  his  head  mournfully  and  said :  "You  do  not 
know  them.  I  could  stand  an  open  trial,  but  I  could  not 
bear  to  have  them  point  with  their  fingers  at  me  and  whisper  : 
'There  is  the  murderer.  By  rights  he  ought  to  grace  the  gal- 
lows.'    Eva,  it  would  kill  me." 

I  feared  it  would.  I  had  the  choice  between  being  my 
father's  involuntary  destroyer  or  to  marry  Cheatham.  It  was 
a  short,  but  fearful  struggle.  Ten  minutes  later  I  said  to  him  : 
"Father  tell  Mr.  Cheatham  that  I  accept  his  proposal." 

He  thanked  me  and  went. 

February  ist.  The  wedding  day  has  been  set.  The  day 
after  the  dreadful  one  described,  Mr.  Cheatham  did  me  the 
honor  to  wait  upon  me  in  person.  I  had  determined  to  marry 
him,  but  I  had  also  resolved  not  to  deceive  him.  I  said  to 
him:  "Mr.  Cheatham,  I  want  to  place  our  future  relations 
upon  a  clear  basis.  I  do  not  wish  to  deceive  you.  I  do  not 
love  you,  and  shall  never  love  you.  After  these  intrigues  of 
yours  against  my  father  I  cannot  even  respect  you,  but  I  shall 
be  a  faithful  wife  to  you  as  far  as  your  honor  is  concerned.  I 
can  and  will  not  play  the  hypocrite.  If  these  terms  and  words 
do  not  suit  you,  release  me,  and  I  shall  praise  and  thank  you." 
But  he  did  not  release  me,  and  tomorrow  I  shall  be  wedded  to 
a  man  whom  I  loathe  and  abhore.  Would  it — I  have  asked  my- 
self repeatedly — Would  it  be  justifiable  to  end  my  miserable 
existence,  and  a  still  voice  within  me,  answers:  It  would  be 
pardonable,  at  least.  But  what  good  would  it  do  ?  It  is  true 
it  would  release  me  of  fetters  both  hateful  and  repulsive,  but 
it  would  leave  him  exposed  to  the  poisonous  fang,  for  whom  I 
endure  this  martyrdom.  No  !  no  !  There  is  no  escape  from 
this  yoke.  I  must  bear  it,  and  I  will  endure  it  with  the  spirit 
of  those  martyrs  who  braved  the  malice  of  the;r  persecutors 
and  found  comfort  in  the  consciousness  of  the  fulfillment  of 
their  duty. 


EITHER,  OR.  295 

Here  the  sheets   of  the    diary  ended,  but  pinned  to  them 
was  this  paper,  superscribed    in  pencil :       ''Accommentary  to 
Josephus  Cheatham's    character.     Then  came  copy  of  Harry 
Halleck's  affidavit,  and  next  this  affidavit. 
To  whom  it  may  concern  : 

I,  Harry  Halleck,  being  in  my  sound  mind,  do  herewith, 
and  hereby  declare,  that  Mrs.  Mary  Brown,  with  whom  I  have 
lived  for  many  years  in  matrimony  is  truly  my  lawful  wife,  to 
whom  I  was  wedded  on  the  25  day  of  July,  18 — ,in  the  Mis- 
sionary church  of  Yoko  by  Rev.  Swift,  then  minister  of  said 
church.  Mary  Brown  was  born  in  this  wedlock,  and  is  there- 
fore truly  and  lawfully  my  daughter.  I  make  this  statement 
because  I  married  Mary  under  the  name  of  Harry  Brown,  as- 
sumed for  reasons  foreign  to  this  matter,  and  because,  being 
separated  temporarily,  being  mortal,  though  in  good  health, 
my  wife  and  child  might  be  deprived  of  the  fortune  rightfully 
theirs.  To  which  I  have  set  my  name  and  seal  on  this  20  day 
of  June.  18. —  Harry  Halleck. 

Witnesses : 

John  Krugek, 
Edward  Means. 

Plutopolis,  June  21st,  18—. 

To-day  Harry  Hallack,  of  the  firm  of  Halleck  Bros.,  ap- 
peared before  me  a  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  made  oath  that 
the  contents  of  the  above  paper  are  the  truth,  the  whole  truth, 
and  nothing  but  the  truth. 

Jasper  Wells,  Notary  Public. 

Then  in  pencil  again  :  — This  is  the  Document  for  whose 
oppression  I  was  sold  soul  and  body  to  Josephus  Cheatham. 

The  hand  of  the  poor  girl  sank  as  if  under  a  heavy 
weight.  The  paper  contained  the  death  warrant  of  the  love 
and  respect  she  had  thus  far  entertained  for  a  father,  of  whose 
real  character  she  had  perhaps  had  an  intuitive  though  dim 
perception,  but  who  had  shown  to  her  as  much  affection  and 
indulgence  as  was  at  all  compatible  with  his  nature.  Now  it 
fell  like  scales  from  her  eyes,  and  she  saw  clearly  what  before 
had  been  distant    and  uncertain.      And  to  this  man    her  poor 


296  EITHER,  OR. 

mother  had  been  tied  many  years.  She  saw  now  more  clearly , 
traits  in  her  mother's  character  which  she  had  failed  to  com- 
prehend before,  and  which  now  threw  a  perfect  halo  around 
her  martyred  head.  She  understood  what  it  must  have  cost 
that  mother  to  make  this  revelation,  and  that  only  the 
determination  to  save  her  child  at  all  hazards  from  a 
fate  worse  than  a  dozen  deaths,  could  at  last  have  overcome 
her  scruples.  The  medicine  was  bitter  as  gall  and  wormwood, 
but  it  effected  the  desired  cure.  A  bright  light  came  into  the 
girl's  eyes.  She  compressed  her  lips  firmly  and  then  made 
the  mental  vow,  that  never  and  under  no  circumstances  would 
she  marry  a  man  she  did  not  love.  Taking  the  papers,  en- 
trusted to  her  keeping  and  discretion,  to  her  mother  and  hand- 
ing them  to  her.  she  said,  only:  "I  understand,  mother  dear;" 
and  then  left  the  room. 

The  girl  grew  much  older  that  day.  The  mental  tempest 
which  swept  over  her  soul  broke  many  a  tender  shoot,  killed 
many  a  flower  blooming  in  romantic  dells  and  shady  recesses. 
She  sought  the  solitude  of  her  room  most  of  the  time,  absent- 
ing herself  from  several  meals,  exciting  the  curiosity,  though 
not  alarm  of  her  father.  He  had  always  known  her  to  be 
peculiar,  given  to  pensive  moods  and  reflections,  which  some- 
times broke  out  in  startling  questions,  and  generally  resulted 
in  convictions  even  more  startling.  These,  however,  she  had 
kept  to  herself,  and  as  her  father  had  always  found  her  docile 
and  obedient,  he  feared  no  serious  trouble  in  this  instance. 
The  fact  was,  Senator  Cheatham  hardly  understood  his 
daughter.  She  was  too  deep  for  him,  and  as  he  saw  merely  the 
placid  surface  of  her  gentle  disposition,  he  had  no  conception 
of  the  depth  below.  When  he,  therefore,  entered  her  room 
the  next  morning  he  wore  a  cheerful  aspect.  Expecting  a 
ready  compliance  with  his  wishes  or  rather  dictates,  he  did 
not  deem  it  worth  while  to  sit  down,  but  said  standing: 
"Well,  my  dear  girl,  have  you  decided  to  be  an  obedient 
daughter,  and  to  send  to  Count  Suwarow  the  message  to  come 
and  hear  the  fulfillment  of  his  wishes  from  your  own  lips." 
She  had  been  sitting,  but  now   arose,  and    said,    looking  him 


EITHER,  OR.  297 

full  in  the  face:  "Father,  I  am  sorry  to  disappoint  both  you 
and  him.  After  weighing  the  matter  long  and  carefully,  I 
have  arrived  at  the  conclusion  that  I  can  not  accept  the 
Count's  wooing,  in  justice  to  him  and  myself.  The  face  of 
the  Senator  reddened,  and  a  vein  which  crossed  his  forehead 
filled  and  stood  forth  in  purple  color.  Both  the  unexpected- 
ness of  this  answer  and  the  calmness  of  the  girl  provoked  a 
wrath,  which|tbreatened  to  escape  his  control,  but  he  restrained 
his  anger  with  a  mighty  effort,  saying,  huskily:  "Blanche, 
you  are  joking.  Permit  me  to  inform  you  that  I  am  not  at 
all  in  the  humor  to  be  funny." 

"You  are  mistaken  father,"  she  replied,  unmoved,  facing 
him  with  a  fearlessness  under  which  he  shrank.  "I  never  in 
my  life  was  more  serious.  I  can  and  will  not  wed  Count 
Suwarow." 

A  curse  escaped  his  lips,  and  he  raised  his  clentched 
first  as  if  to  strike.  She  did  not  "retreat  an  inch,  but, 
awaited  the  blow  with  an  unconcern  which  brought  him  to  his 
senses.  He  lowered  the  uplifted  hand,  but,  as  if  to  indemnify 
himself  for  this  restraint,  a  torrent  of  abuse  and  threats  broke 
from  his  lips. 

"Ungrateful  hussy,"  he  cried  in  a  voice  of  thunder.  "This 
is  the  reward  for  all  my  affection  and  indulgence.  But  be- 
ware! There  are  means  to  bring  refractory  children  to  terms. 
I'll  cut  you  off  with  a  penny,  and  turn  you  into  the  street; 
that's  what  I'll  do." 

"I'll  go  father,  if  you  wish  it.  Better  the  crust  of  poverty 
than  the  gilded  cage  and  the  loathsome'presence  of  a  man  I 
do  not  love." 

"'Yes,  I  suppose  that  would  suit  you,"  he  cried,  nursing 
his  wrath.  "You  always  had  a  beggarly  taste,  and  would 
enjoy  their  company.  But  I  will  not  gratify  you.  I  will  call 
in  medical  assistance  and  have  you  declared  insane,  that's 
what  I  will  do.  We'll  see  what  effect  the  tiger  jacket  will 
have  upon  you  and  your  lunatic  notions.     I  swear  I  will." 

He  turned  to  rush  from  the  room,  but  started  back  as  if 
he  had  seen  an  apparition.     Indeed,  what  he  saw,  might  well 


298  HITHER,  OR. 

be  called  an  apparition.  A  few  steps  from  him  stood  Mrs. 
Cheatham.  Her  features  wore  their  usual  icy  touch.  Her 
cheeks  were  as  palid  as  ever,  even  her  eyes  darted  glances 
marked  by  their  chill,  but  also  by  a  supreme  contempt.  Rais- 
ing her  hand  slowly  in  a  warning  manner,  she  said:  "Swear 
not,  Josephus  Cheatham,  for  if  you  do  and  carry  out  your  pur- 
pose. I  will  break  the  silence  which  I  have  preserved  so  many 
years.  Injure  one  hair  on  the  head  of  this  child,  and  the 
world  shall  make  the  acquaintance  of  Senator  Cheatham,  and 
learn  the  manner  in  which  he  earned  his  millions." 

Foam  gathered  on  the  lips  of  the  man,  but  they  remained 
closed.  He  stood  for  a  moment  as  if  meditating  some  desper- 
ate step.  Then  he  gathered  himself,  and  with  a  glance  full  of 
deadly  hatred,  he  passed  his  wife    and  rushed  from  the  room. 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

PLOTS    AND    COUNTERPLOTS. 

Richard  Velder  found  his  affairs  well  muddled.  Mrs.  Keau , 
though  both  able  and  willing,  had  been  unable  to  attend 
to  every  little  detail.  Uncle  Calculus  had  kept  the 
books  in  excellent  condition,  but  beyond  that  he  was  a  mere 
cipher  with  no  figures  in  front,  to  count.  True,  the  tinker 
had  occasionally  attended  to  the  most  pressing  business,  but 
he  had  been  very  busy  with  the  affairs  of  his  wards,  and  dis- 
covered that  one  cannot  well  serve  two  masters.  On  exami- 
nation Richard  found  that  after  a  successful  start,  his  colonies 
had  become  stationary,  partly  because  the  parties  entrusted 
with  their  career  had  become  indifferent  or  mercenary,  abus- 
ing Richard's  confidence  to  his  and  his  ward's  detriment.  The 
question  now  arose.  What  should  he  do  ?  He  felt  that  his 
means  did  not  suffice  to  colonize  the  whole  globe,  and  what 
is  more  and  was  worse,  that  a  truly  paternal  government  is 
not  exactly  the  thing  to  advance  the  welfare  of  the  masses. 
The  power  of  the  Czar  is  sometimes  a  good  thing,  as  a  stroke 
of  his  pen   can    remedy    an  evil,  which  a    liberal  government 


EITHER,  OR.  299 

cannot  reach  or  reach  only  slowly  and  indifferently.  But,  the 
pen,  which  is  so  strong  an  agent  for  good,  can  also  be  a  terri- 
ble agent  for  evil,  and,  what  is  worse,  the  people  subjected  to 
his  rule  will  forever  remain  in  a  state  of  infancy. 

These  thoughts  occupied  the  mind  of  our  friend  long  and 
painfully.  He  disliked  the  idea  of  giving  up  the  role 
of  an  invisible  Providence,  a  "Deus  ex  Machina ;  "  but 
after  several  weeks  of  earnest  study,  he  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  such  a  renunciation  would  be  necessary,  and  that  a  con- 
centration of  his  means  and  measures  was  indispensible  for  a 
successful  execution  of  his  plans.  Then  the  question  arose  : 
Which  of  his  characters  was  more  essential  to  the  public  weal, 
that  of  Dick  Brown  or  Dick  Velder  ?  He  was  not  sufficiently 
conceited  to  imagine  the  world  could  not  get  along  without 
either.  He  knew  that  his  idea  had  taken  deep  root  in  the 
masses,  and  that  the  good  work  would  probabl}-  go  on  with- 
out Brown  or  Velder,  but  while  aware  of  his  dispensibleness, 
he  also  knew  that  Velder's  millions  would  form  a  powerful, 
nay,  indispensible  aid,  and  that,  on  the  other  hand,  the  tinker 
had  gained  that  great  popularity  calculated  to  sway  the  masses 
in  emergencies.  That  such  emergencies  would  arise  frequent- 
ly and  at  an  early  date,  he  knew;  so,  after  weighing  the  use- 
fulness of  the  two  characters,  he  concluded  that  it  would  be 
Avell  to  combine  the  merits  of  the  two,  by  realizing  all  the 
means  of  Velder,  and  placing  them  at  the  disposal  of  the 
tinker.  This  resolution  once  formed,  our  friend  was  net  slow 
to  carry  it  out.  On  his  arrival  he  found  offers  from  numerous 
parties  to  purchase  at  greatly  advanced  prices  his  various 
proprieties.  The  swamp,  now  a  village  of  a  thousand  cot- 
tages, with  room  for  five  thousand  more,  was  in  great  demand, 
a  syndicate  wishing  to  purchase  it,  and  offering  a  million 
dollars  in  cash.  Richard  felt  sure  that  this  bid  would  be  in- 
creased a  few  hundred  thousand  if  the  party  saw  any  prospect 
of  closing  a  bargain.  Other  parties  offered  liberal  prices  for 
the  other  estates,  and  when  the  proper  negotiations  closed  a 
few  weeks  later,  Richard  found  himself  fully  two  millions 
richer.     Next  he  wrote  to   Senator  Cheatham,  informing  him 


300  EITHER.  OR. 

that  he  wished  to  make  investments  on  a  larger  scale,  requir- 
ing vast  sums,  and  that  he  would,  therefore  accept  ten  millions 
in  cash  for  the  fourteen  payments  of  one  million,  still  due.  As 
the  discount  was  very  liberal,  the  Senator  eagerly  accepted  the 
offer,  paying  our  friend  in  bonds  of  Occidentia.  Thus  he  held 
at  his  disposal  eighteen  millions,  which  might  and  probably 
would  suffice  to  carry  out  plans  growing  rapidly  in  size,  and 
assuming  every  day  a  more  tangible  shape.  He  had  noticed 
a  growing  restlessness  in  the  press  of  the  country,  subsidized 
by  capital,  and  working,  with  few  exceptions,  in  its  interest. 
Various  measures  had  been  suggested,  all  aiming  at  a  sharper 
surveillance  of  the  masses,  to  keep  them  in  subjection  and 
preventing  them  from  putting  into  practice  the  dangerous  new 
gospel  of  the  socialistic  evangelists.  He  felt  instinctively 
that  mischief  was  brewing  in  the  ranks  of  the  upper  tendom, 
and  as  he  could  watch  and  unearth  their  doings  better  as  one 
of  them,  he  formed  the  resolution  of  remaining  Richard  Yel- 
der  sufficiently  long  to  serve  this  purpose. 

•One  morning  he  received  a  short  letter  from  Harry,  in- 
forming him  that  the  young  man  would  like  to  see  him  as 
soon  as  possible.  So  Richard  started  without  delay  for  the 
Del  Polino.  where  Harry  approached  him  respectfully.  Rich- 
ard demanded  the  morning  paper  and  when  the  young  man 
handed  it  to  him  he  whispered  : 

"Go  to  the  reading  room,  I  wish  to  speak  to  you  in 
private."  Richard  rose  accordingly,  and,  paper  in  hand 
walked  to  the  reading  room  which  he  found  empty,  a  circum- 
stance which_brought  a  smile  to  his  lips.  The  "Jeunesse 
doree"  was  not  over  fond  of  reading.  He  sat  only  a  few  min- 
utes when  Harry  entered  and  said,  after  casting  a  cautious 
glance  over  the  room  :  "Mr.  Yelder  do  you  remember  what 
you  told  me  the  other  day?" 

"I  told  you  various  things.  Harry.  I  believe.     Which  one 
is  it?" 

"Oh,  of  your  fear  that    these    fellows  are  plotting  against 
the  people  " 

"I  think  I  expressed  that  apprehension,  Harry. " 


EITHER,  OR.  30* 

"Well,  I  beard  something  yesterday  which  makes  me 
think  that  you  hit  the  nail  pretty  well  on  the  head.  Just  let 
me  look  into  the  hall  to  see  whether  the  air  is  clear.  A  fellow 
can't  be  too  cautious." 

He  opened  the  door,  and  failing  to  discover  the  trace  of 
any  human  being,  he  returned  and  said  guardedly,  coming  as 
near  our  friend  as  prudence  would  permit:  "Well,  sir,  yester- 
day I  was  in  the  watercloset  of  this  room,  when  a  couple  of 
men  came  in  and  sat  down  near  enough  for  me  to  understand 
their  words.  Generally  people  don't  discuss  secrets  here,  so 
I  did  not  feel  any  compunction  to  remain.  In  fact,  I  went  on 
cleaning  the  premises,  and  wasn't  particularly  anxious  either, 
to  avoid  noise,  until  I  heard  one  of  them  say  rather  guardedly: 
'Yes,  General,  it  is  too  bad,  and  things  can't  go  on  this  way 
much  longer.  This  cursed  plebs  must  be  gagged  and  chained, 
to  keep  it  from  trampling  upon  us.'  '.' 

"I  had  not  paid  any  particular  attention  to  the  speaker  be- 
fore, but  now  recognized  without  difhculy,  the  voice  of  Sena- 
tor Cheatham.-' 

"Aha!"  Richard  exclaimed.     "Go  on,  Harry" 

"The  other  chap  was  General  Runwell.  Says  he:  'Well, 
Senator,  I  have  thought  so  all  along  and  warned  you,  if  I  am 
not  very  much  mistaken.'" 

"-I  think  you  did.  General;  but  these  radicals  w?atch  a 
fellow  so  keenly  that  he  must  be  careful  not  to  expose  aii57 
weak  spots.  If  I  am  not  mistaken,  you  counseled  the  intro- 
duction of  a  bill  to  increase  the  regular  army."' 

"That's  what  I  did.  You  can't  place  any  confidence  in 
this  militia,  and  must  expect  to  see  them  fraternize  with  the 
mob,  and  turn  against  you,  just  when  you  need  them  the 
most.'" 

'"Well,  I  have  come  to  the  conclusion  to  assume  the  odium 
and  risk  of  such  a  bill,  and  shall  introduce  it  after  vacation. 
Now,  I  want  your  opinion  and  advice  on  some  details,  so 
where  can  I  meet  you  under  four  eyes? '" 

"The  other  studied  a  moment,  then  said:  'I  think  we  can 


302  EITHER.  OR. 

meet  in  this  building  with  less  risk  of  discovery  than  any- 
where else.'" 

"  I  think  so  too.  IYet  me  see.  You  know,  there  is  a  num- 
ber or  little  apartments  here  arranged  for  tete-a-tetes  of  a 
more  amorous  character,  but  one  of  them  will  suit  our  pur- 
pose.    When  can  you  meet  me,  General?'" 

"  'To  morrow  evening,  Senator,  if  that  suics  you.'" 

'"Perfectly.  I'll  order  a  little  spread  to  belaid  in  No. 
10.     Can  you  be  there  at  nine  sharp?"' 

"  'I  can,  Senator.'  " 

'"All  right,  General,  au  revoir,  until  then."' 

"That's  all.  Mr.  Velder." 

"It  is  a  good  deal  and  enough.  Now,  see  here,  Harry.  I 
haye  a  little  machine,  an  invention  of  my  own,  which  records 
the  conversation  of  any  parties  near  by.  It  is  not  more  than 
eighteen  inches  long,  or  six  inches  high  and  wide.  Could  you 
smuggle  it  into  the  room  and  hide  it  there?" 

"I  could  without  any  difficulty.  I  might  hide  it  under 
the  table,  you  know,  which  is  covered  with  a  cloth,  or  set  it 
on  one  of  the  shelves  without  attracting  attention,  Mr  Velder." 

"All  right,  then.  You  understand  Harry,  that  it  would 
be  contemptable  for  me  to  trouble  myself  with  their  affairs. 
But  when  it  comes  to  plotting  against  our  friends  and  breth- 
ren, the  things  assume  a  different  aspect.  Do  you  understand 
me  ?  " 

"Fully,  Mr.  Velder,  and  I  share  your  views  ;  but  how  will 
I  get  the  machine  to  start  at  the  proper  time? " 

"I'll  set  it  to  start  at  eight.  These  fellows  are  never 
before  time  but  mostly  behind.  The  machine,  however,  runs 
for  two  hours,  and  is  therefore  liable  to  catch  all  they  say  dur- 
ing their  rendezvous." 

"All  right,  Mr.  Velder.  When  will  you  bring  the 
machine?  I  ought  to  have  it  in  good  season.  I  think  the 
table  will  be  set  this  afternoon." 

"I'll  get  you  the  machine  at  once.  You  meet  me  at  the 
foot  of  the  stairs,  and  if  anybody  asks  you  concerning  the 
bundle,  you  must  invent  some  plausible  story." 


EITHER.  OR.  303 

"Wrap  it  thickly  in  paper  sir.  and  I'll  smuggle  it  in  as 
washing." 

Then  they  parted,  and  an  hour  later  Harry  was  in  posses- 
sion of  the  phonograph,  which  he  concealed  until  an  oppor- 
tunity of  hiding  it  in  No.  10  would  offer.  Nor  was  this  diffi- 
cult. Harry  had  little  or  nothing  to  do  in  the  afternoon,  and 
when  he  volunteered  to  help  the  waiter  in  arranging  the  room 
for  the  little  banquet,  his  assistance  was  accepted  with  readi- 
ness and  without  suspicion.  The  damask  table  cloth  hung 
nearly  to  the  floor,  and  when  Harry  slipped  the  machine 
under,  profiting  by  a  momentary  absence  of  his  comrades,  no 
one  would  have  suspected  the  presence  of  a  witness,  who, 
without  hearing  himself,  would  record  every  syllable  spoken 
in  the  room,  thus  bearing  testimony  against  any  one  plotting 
against  the  safety  of  the  land  or  its  inhabitants. 

On  the  next  morning  Harry  brought  to  the  Velder  man- 
sion a  package  with  the  request  to  inform  Mr.  Velder  of  his 
presence.  Richard  was  out  just  then,  so  the  youth  delivered 
the  parcel  to  the  servant,  with  the  injunction  of  handing  it  to 
her  master  immediately  after  his  return.  This  was  done. 
Richard  locked  himself  into  his  room,  reversed  the  bolt,  and 
listened  to  the  following  dialogue,  which  we  shall  free  from 
the  clinking  of  the  glasses,  the  orders  to  the  waiters,  and  other 
outside  matter  foreign  to  the  plot.  When  the  reader  learns 
the  dialogue,  he  will  not  wonder  that  Richard  listened  with 
eyer  increasing  interest. 

"Well,  General,  here  we  are.  The  waiter  will  not  dis- 
turb us  without  the  ringing  of  the  bell,  so  let  us  discuss  the 
business  of  the  meeting.  L,et  me,  however,  remark  as  a  pre- 
liminary, that  there  will  be  no  necessity  for  putting  on  the 
masks  one  has  to  wear  in  public." 

"We  know  each  other,  General,  and  may  dispense  with  all 
this  silly  prattle  of  liberty,  equal  rights." 

"Just  so,  Senator.  It  is  the  upper  crust  which  rules  and 
must  continue  to  rule,  if  a  decent  fellow  is  to  remain  in  Occi- 
dentia." 

"Very  well,  I  see  we  understand  each  other,  and  agree  as. 


304  KITHER,  OR. 

to  the  preliminaries.  Let's  pass  to  the  main  question,  then. 
As  I  told  you  before,  this  question  of  increasing  the  regular 
army  is  quite  a  ticklish  one,  and  must  be  handled  with  gloves 
to  avoid  burns  and  scratches.  I  propose  to  divide  the  risk 
between  us,  with  the  tacid  understanding,  that  we  divide  the 
profits  as  well.  You  know  as  well  as  I,  that  our  commander- 
in-chief  is  getting  old  in  years  and  mind,  and  cannot  hold  out 
much  longer.  How  would  you  like  to  be  addressed:  'Gen- 
eral Runwell,  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  Army  of  Occideutia,' 
especially  when  this  army  numbers  a  hundred  thousand 
men  ?" 

"It  wouldn't  sound  bad,  Senator.'' 

"Of  course,  it  wouldn't,  and  I  know  a  certain  senator  that 
would  do  all  in  his  power  to  bring  it  about.  Let  me  see  : 
How  large  is  our  army  now.  all  told  ?" 

"Hardly  twenty-five  thousand,  a  number  rediculously 
small,  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  Occidentia." 

"Dangerously  small,  you  better  say,  General.  Well,  it 
should  be  larger,  it  must  be  larger,  and  it  irill  be  larger,  if  we 
manage  well." 

"Out  with  your  scheme,  Senator.  I  am  all  ear." 

"I  am  coming.  There  are  two  sources  ot  danger  to 
which  our  country  is  exposed,,  and  against  which  we  must 
guard,  the  Indians  and  foreign  complications." 

"You  forget  public  outbreaks." 

"General,  I  fear  you  would  cut  a  poor  figure  in  politics. 
You  are  only  too  right  to  think  of  this  peril,  but  you  should 
be  too  wary  to  express  your  thoughts.  No.  it  is  only  the 
Indians  and  the  other  Powers  we  have  to  fear,  and  it  is  upon 
these  strings  we  must  play  our  war  dance.  Don't  you  think 
that  the  Indians  have  been  rather  troublesome  of  late?" 

"The  Indians  ?  Why,  no — I  mean  yes,  of  course.  They 
have  been  very  troublesome  and  annoying." 

"In  your  department  particularly  ?" 

"In  my  department,  Senator.'" 

"Then,  if  I  were  you,  I  would  present  this  danger  in  its 
true  light,  address,  for  instance,  a  circular  to   the  Secretary  of 


EITHER,  OR.  305 

War,  warning  him,  and  through  him  the  country,  of  their 
peril." 

"That  might  answer  only — " 

"I  know  what  you  would  say  :  I'll  manage  the  secretary. 
.Next,  sir,  comes  the  danger  arising  from  the  rabbit-skin  and 
the  cat-fish  trouble.  I  am  really  afraid  that  there  is  bloodshed 
lurking  in  this  war  cloud,  General." 

"There  may  be,  Senator.  I  admire  both  your  sagacity 
and  the  patriotism  characterizing  your  remarks  " 

"Thank  you,  General.  Well,  if  a  bill  were  introduced  in 
the  Senate,  advocating  the  increase  of  our  standing  arm}'  and 
the  mover  called  upon  the  criticisms  of  experts  such  as  you, 
for  instance,  could  he  depend  upon  a  confirmation  of  his 
assertions?" 

"Of  course  he  could,  upon  a  hearty  and  unqualified  confir- 
mation, Senator." 

'That  settles  it,  General,  that  settles  it.  Let  me  see; 
this  is  the  18th  of  February.  Our  sessions  begin  again 
on  the  first  of  March,  and  I  must  use  the  respite  thus  given 
lis  for  the  preparation  of  the  bill." 

"You  think  you  can  get  congress  to  pass,  and  the  Presi- 
dent to  sign  it?  " 

"As  to  the  latter,  he  is  merely  a  tool  of  our  party.  As  to 
Congress,  I  can  rely  upon  the  Senate,  which  is  entirely  com- 
posed of  our  set,  and  smells  fire  and  brimstone  far  off.  The 
Lower  House  is  not  quite  so  certain,  but  I  think  we  can  play 
successfully  upon  the  fears  of  its  conservative  members.  I 
assure  you  that  we  shall  strain  every  nerve  to  accomplish  a 
measure  absolutely  necessar}-  for  the  preservation  of  our  pre- 
rogatives. By  the  way,  General,  will  you  be  present  at  the 
masked  ball  next  Wednesday?" 

"I  think  I  shall.     Will  your  ladies  be  there?" 

"I  think  they  will,  though  there  is  no  reliance  to  be 
placed  upon  women,  you  know.  They  are  fickle  as  April,  and 
changeable  like  the  chameleon.  Well,  we  are  through,  I  be- 
lieve.    Have  you  any  more  suggestions  to  make,  General?" 

"Yes,  Senator.     I    have   often    thought   it   dangerous  to 


306  EITHER.  OR. 

allow  these  independent  companies  of  militia  to  form.  It 
should  require  the  permit  of  the  governor  to  form  such  mili- 
tary bodies." 

"That  would  be  a  feeble  protection,  but  yet  a  protection. 
I'll  keep  this  point  in  mind.     Anything  else?" 

"Yes,  in  my  estimation  the  law  on  conspiracies  should 
be  revised  and  sharpened.  At  present  we  cannot  reach  these 
rascally  agitators  stirring  up  the  people.  Take  this  tinker 
Brown,  for  instance.  He  is  a  standing  menace  to  our  caste, 
and  goes  on  as  unconcernedly  as  if  he  were  cock  of  the 
yard." 

"The  fellow  is  dangerous  and  I  must  keep  an  eye  on  him. 
Well,  General,  these  hints  are  valuable,  and  I  shall  benefit  by 
them  in  due  season.  One  thing  at  a  time,  you  know.  The 
increase  of  the  army  once  secured,  and  the  rest  is  compara- 
tively easy.     If  you  are  done,  I'll  ring  for  the  waiter." 

Richard  had  heard  with  mingled  feelings.  When  his  own 
name  was  mentioned  a  smile  passed  over  his  face  and  he  mut- 
tered: "Quite  complimentary,  gentlemen.  I  would  a  thous- 
and times  rather  be  feared  and  hated  by  you  than  loved.  Let 
me  see;  the  first  of  March.  Well,  Senator,  your  respite  is  my 
respite.     Let  us  see  who  will  make  the  best  use  of  it." 

Next  Richard  turned  back  the  machine  and  made  it  repeat 
the  dialogue  so  slowly  that  he  could  copy  it  on  paper.  When 
done  he  heaved  a  sigh  of  relief,  locked  the  document  in  his 
secretary,  and  went  down  stairs  into  the  parlor,  where  he 
tound  Maxwell,  who  had  brought  the  tickets  for  the 
masked  ball  and  conversed  gaily  with  Elinor,  who  re- 
plied in  the  same  style,  showing  more  animation  than 
usual,  and  paying  back  the  visitor's  jests  in  so  happy 
a  manner,  as  to  create  the  astonishment  of  her 
friend.  Richard  had  carried  out  his  intention  and  told 
Maxwell  that  an  unfortunate  marriage  had  clouded  his  sister's 
mind;  but  evidently  to  no  purpose,  for  Maxwell  continued  his 
visits  and  his  marked  attention  to  Elinor,  who  not  only  re- 
buffed him,  but  showed  him  a  friendliness  and  appreciation 
surprising  to  her  friends,  and  gratifying  to  Maxwell,  who  told 


EITHER,  OR.  307 

Richard  more  than  once  that  he  could  discover  no  marks  of 
mental  abberation  in  Mrs.  Roberts.  Richard  shrugged  his 
shoulders,  as  if  to  say  :  "Very  well,  my  dear  fellow,  have  it 
your  own  way;  but  don't  you  come  afterwards  and  complain 
to  me."  At  about  the  same  time  he  carried  out  his  intentions 
of  submitting  his  sister's  case  to  the  medical  authorities,  which 
he  consulted  on  a  former  occasion.  Before  taking  the 
physician  to  the  house  he  told  him  of  Maxwell's  attentions, 
and  their  remarkable  effect  upon  Elinor.  The  doctor's  eyes 
brightened  and  he  said  with  a  smile  :  "That  is  very  fortunate 
indeed."  "Similia  similibus  curantur,  you  know,"  he  said  with 
a  smile.  "Don't  you  impede  this  little  courtship,  for  it  will 
probably  restore  your  sister's  mind." 

"Then  you  would  not  counsel  a  meeting  with  the  party 
that  upset  it  ?  " 

The  doctor  eyed  him  searchingh".  "You  can  confide  in 
me"  he  said  warmly.  "We  fellows  meet  with  so  much  misery 
and  devilment,  that  we  do  not  mind  it,  and  treasure  every 
evidence  of  it  in  the  recesses  of  our  soul.  Has  the  rascal 
turned  up?" 

"He  is  within  our  reach,  sir.  I  may  as  well  tell  you  that 
he  benefitted  by  the  sudden  death  of  both  my  parents  and  my 
absence,  to  inveigle  my  sister  into  a  sham  marriage,  and  leave 
her  afterwards  to  her  fate." 

"The  rascal!  Does  she  talk  of  him  as  much  as  for- 
merly? " 

"Hardly  at  all,  and  when  she  does,  it  is  with  indifference 
and  as  of  a  person  who  is  dead." 

"Well,  I  won't  decide  until  I  have  seen  her.  If  a  new 
affection  has  taken  hold  of  her,  a  meeting  with  her  betrayer 
might  possibly  retard  the  restoration  of  her  mind." 

The  doctor  was  introduced  as  Richard's  friend.  He  re- 
mained the  entire  evening,  thus  having  an  opportunity  to 
study  Elinor.  It  was  Maxwell's  evening,  and  when  his  name 
was  announced  by  the  servant,  the  doctor  saw  a  fine  red  rise 
in  her  cheeks.  His  face  cleared  visibly,  and  when  Richard 
led  him  to  his  carriage  on  his  departure,  he  said  :       "She'll  be 


3o8  EITHER,  OR. 

all  right.  I  think  it  wouldn't  hurt  to  bring  her  face  to  face 
with  the  Don  Juan.  I  think,  if  she  could  be  made  real  in- 
dignant or  angry,  it  would  have  a  good  effect." 

Richard  reported  the  doctor's  words  to  Mrs.  Kean,  who 
said  :  "Well,  I  would  not  precipitate  matters.  Let  things 
have  their  course.  If  she  really  likes  Mr.  Maxwell,  and  it 
looks  very  much  like  it,  such  an  affection  will  prove  a  very 
effective  medicine,  and  not  hard  to  take." 

At  last  the  evening  of  the  great  masked  ball  had  arrived. 
The  ladies  had  decided  to  benefit  by  Mr.  Maxwell's  kindness 
and  to  frequent  the  ball.  Richard  forseeing  the  possibility  of 
unpleasant  con. plications,  and  fearing  reproach  on  the  part  of 
his  friend,  took  him  to  his  room  and  gave  him  an  unvarnished 
account  of  his  sister's  past,  saying  as  an  introduction  :  "I 
cannot  bear  the  thought  of  misleading  you,  or  even  tolerating 
false  impressions  to  influence  your  feelings  for  my  sister.' 
When  he  had  done,  Maxwell  sprang  up,  his  eyes  flashing  fire, 
and  an  angry  red  mantling  his  cheeks.  "The  scoundrel !  "  he 
exclaimed.  "Does  he  live?  Do  I  know  him?  Tell  me  his 
name,  that  I  may  crush  him  like  a  scorpion." 

"He  lives,  and  you  may  learn  his  name,  if  you  promise  to 
leave  him  to  me.  The  doctor  thinks  that  a  meeting  with  him 
mav  affect  her  favorably.  It  is  evident  that  she  no  longer 
cares  for  him,  a  new  deity  having  probably  been  enshrined 
in  her  heart." 

"A  new  deity?"  Maxwell  cried  with  evident  alarm. 
"Velder  I  trust  you  are  mistaken." 

"Even  if  the  initials  of  the  new  diety  should  be  'L.  M." 

"Who  is  'L.  M.?" 

"Say,  did  you  sit  for  Twain's  Innocents  Abroad.  L-  M.' 
stands  for  Lucius  Maxwell,  if  you  must  know." 

"By  Jove,  you  don't  mean  it?  Richard,  I  would  be  the 
happiest  fellow  in  the  world,  if  you  spoke  the  truth.  I  have 
half  a  notion  to  find  out  now.     What  do  you  say?" 

"I  say  nothing.  It  is  no  use  to  advise  people  in  love, 
they  tell  me." 


EITHER,  OR.  309 

"You  are  a  tease,  Richard.     Well,  I'll  know  my  fate.     So 
here  we  go." 

He  went  into   the   parlor  as  if  there   were  a  battery  to 
storm.     Unfortunately  he  shut   the   door   behind  him  so  that 
we  cannot  follow  him.     Nor  do  they   speak   loud   enough  for 
us  to  hear  them  through  the  door.     The  only  thing  which  we 
can  judge  by,  is  his  face,  as  he  leaves  the  house,  and  that  is  so 
joyous  and  happy  that  Elinor   can  surely  not  have  been  very 
cruel  to  him.     That  evening  Mrs.  Kean  said  to    Richard  in  a 
whisper:  "It  is  all  right  between  them,  and  Elinor  is  not  only 
her  former  self,  but  much  more  clever  than  I  ever  knew  her." 
But  to  return  to  the  evening  of  the  masked  ball.     After 
supper  Professor  Andersen  and   Bertha   made  their  appear- 
ance at  the  Velder  mansion  to  join   the   family  in  their  pro- 
jected visit  to  the  carnival.     Bertha  had  shrunk   at   first  from 
the  thought  of  going  to  the  scene  of  such  dreadful  experience, 
but  when  both  Richard  and  her  uncle  assured  her  of  the  utter 
groundlessness  of  fear,  she   had  finally  consented,  and  taken 
an  almost  childish  delight    in   the   suit  which  Elinor  and  her 
aunt  had  chosen  for  her.     It  was  the  costume    of  a   Swedish 
country  girl,    highly   appropriate   on    account   of  her    long 
luxuriant  braids  of  yellow  hair.     Richard   and   Maxwell   had 
planned  a  merited  punishment  of  Cheatham,  Jr.,  for  this  out- 
rage, but  said  nothing  to   Bertha,  partly  to   keep   her  from 
worrying,    and  partly  because   their   measures   were   by   no 
means  perfected,  and  would  much  depend  upon  circumstances. 
Elinor  and   Mrs.  Kean   had  selected   the  garb  of  Sisters  of 
Mercy,  while  Maxwell  had  chosen  that  of  an  ancient  knight 
errant. 

Richard  had  chosen  two  suits,  that  of  a  mail  carrier,  and 
that  of  a  grinder,  the  latter  probably  with  the  view  of  braving 
his  foes  in  his  true  character  in  their  own  den. 

The  company  started  early,  and  they  intended  to  dress  in 
the  club  building,  and  desired,  therefore,  to  arrive  in  season. 
The  building  was  brilliantly  lit  with  thousands  of  gas  jets,  and 
as  they  ascended  the  broad  stairway,  it  appeared  to  Bertha's 
inexperienced  eyes,  as   if  they   entered  upon   a  scene  of  the 


3io  EITHER.OR. 

Arabian  Nights.  She  clung  tightly  to  her  uncle's  arm,  who 
was  hardly  less  bewildered  than  the  girl,  and  in  turn,  took 
good  care  to  adhere  closely  to  the  heels  of  Richard  and  Max- 
well. From  the  second  floor  the}7  took  the  elevator  which 
carried  them  to  the  next  one  containing  the  ball  room  and 
its  accessories.  There  were  dressing  rooms  for  both  sexes, 
besides  small  apartments  for  tete-a-tetes,  lining  the  hall  on  two 
sides.  There  were  also  bar-rooms,  and  places  for  refreshments 
of  every  description,  in  short  everything  belonging  to  such  an 
establishment.  Here  the}'  parted,  the  ladies  seeking  the 
seclusion  of  a  dressing  room,  the  gentlemen  to  look  for  Harry 
who  had  received  a  hint  to  be  on  hand.  Nor  did  he  disappoint 
them,  for  hardly  had  they  left  the  ladies,  when  he  stepped 
from  one  of  the  dressing  rooms  greeting  them  with  a  friendly 
"hallo." 

They  stepped  to  this  apartment  which  was  empty,  locked 
the  door,  and  began  to  dress. 

"Well,  Harry,"  Richard  inquired,  "have  the  Cheatham's 
come?" 

"Not  yet,  Mr.  Yelder.  I  told  the  boys  to  keep  their  eyes 
open  and  report." 

"You  used  due  caution,  though?  " 

"Don't  fear,  Mr.  Velder,  they  won't  smell  a  rat." 

"And  you  think  you  can  find  out  what  masks  they  will 
wear  ? ' ' 

"I'll  try  might}"  hard,  anyhow.  May  be  I  can  get  to  as- 
sist in  dressing  them.  If  not,  my  chums  will  post  me.  But 
if  you  gentlemen  don't  need  my  services,  I  may  as  well 
scedaddle,  for  'tis  the  early  bird  you  know  that  catches  the 
worm.'* 

"You'll  be  on  hand,  though,  when  I  change  my  cos- 
tume? " 

"You  bet.  You  better  lock  the  door  on  going  out.  I 
have  a  duplicate  key,  and  shall  be  on  the  lookout.  I'll  report 
as  soon  as  I  have  found  out  the  masks  they  wear."  He  left 
and  our  friends  proceeded  to  disguise  themselves.  Andersen 
donned  the  long  flowing  robe  of  an  astrologer,  this  simple  at- 


EITHER.  OR.  311 

tire  suiting  both  his  taste  and  age.  Half  an  hour  later  Harry 
returned  and  reported  that  he  had  been  successful  in  his 
mission.  General  Run  well,  he  said,  would  personify  an 
Indian  chief.  He  wore  a  leather  suit  of  tan  color  and  three 
eagle  feathers  in  his  scalp-lock.  The  Senator  had  chosen  the 
garb  of  a  Chinese  mandarin,  and  his  son  that  of  a  Turk.  The 
Senator's  habit  consisted  of  yellow  silk,  while  Cyrus  was 
dressed  in  red  trowsers  and  a  blue  silken  jacket. 

"Do  you  think  you  will  know  them  from  that?"  he 
added. 

"I  should  think  so,"  Richard  replied  with  a  laugh.  "If 
they  do  not  change  their  costumes,  we  have  them  sure.  Are 
you  ready,  gentlemen?" 

They  nodded,  and  the  trio  left  the  room,  locking  it  secure- 
ly to  prevent  the  entrance  of  curious  idlers.  One  of  the  fe- 
male attendants  was  dispatched  to  notify  the  ladies  of  their 
presence,  and  a  few  minutes  later  the  company  was  re-united. 
Maxwell  offered  his  arm  to  Elinor;  Anderson  conducted 
Bertha,  while  Richard  escorted  his  aunt.  When  the  door  of 
the  ball  room  was  flung  open,  an  involuntary  "Aha !"  escaped 
the  lips  of  the  three  ladies,  and  they  arrested  their  steps  to 
gaze  upon  a  scene  enchanting  and  brilliant  in  the  extreme. 
The  hall  was  nearly  a  hundred  feet  long,  by  sixty  wide.  Two 
rows  of  slender  columns  bore  the  ceiling,  which  was  at  least 
thirty  feet  above  the  floor,  and  painted  in  the  most  exquisite 
manner.  A  thousand  gas  jets  illuminated  the  hall,  reflected 
by  countless  mirrors  which  reached  from  the  floor  to  the  ceil- 
ing. The  floor  was  waxed  and  caused  the  feet  of  the  unini- 
tiated to  slip  in  a  risky  manner.  The  band  seated  on  a  gallery 
at  the  narrow  end,  played  bewitching  music,  causing  the  feet 
of  the  young  and  gay  to  beat  the  time  with  impatient  expec- 
tation. The  most  attractive  scene,  however,  was  doubtless 
the  multitude  swaying  hither  and  thither,  to  and  fro,  resemb- 
ling a  sea  of  silk  and  satin,  broadcloth  and  brocade,  silver  and 
gold,  pearls  and  diamonds. 

"I  had  no  idea  that  there  is  so  much  splendor  in  the 
world,  uncle,"  Bertha  said  with  a  beating  heart,  a  sentiment 


3i2  EITHER.  OR. 

to  which  the  professor  was  read}'  to  subscribe.  "See,  they  are 
going  to  commence  dancing.  Let  us  retire  to  the  side.  Mrs. 
Kean,  don't  forsake  us." 

"Never  fear,  my  dear,  just  keep  at  my  side.  Why,  here 
is  a  noble  Indian  chief,  evidently  bent  upon  scalping  you." 

"Maiden  from  the  North,"  the  red  man  said  with  a  gal- 
lantry rare  in  his  clan.  "May  the  last  of  the  Tobogans  ask 
you  to  step  with  him  the  light  fantastic  measure?" 

"May  I?"  Bertha  asked,  looking  inquiringly  into  Mrs. 
Kean's  face. 

"I  think  you  may.  Yon  see  he  has  left  his  scalping  knife 
at  home." 

So  the  girl  rose,  dropped  a  courtesy  and  was  led  to  the 
place  where  the  couples  formed  for  the  opening  march.  Max- 
well came  next,  soliciting  and  receiving  Elinor's  hand. 

"This  example  is  contagious,"  said  Mrs.  Kean,  laugh- 
ingly, to  the  Professor,  who  had  taken  refuge  at  her  side 
"Don't  this  fine  music  send  the  blood  coursing  through  your 
veins,  letting  you  forget  your  years." 

"It  is  very  fine,  but  it  could  not  induce  me  to  venture 
amongst  that  crowd.  I  am  sure  I  would  kill  a  dozen  in  my 
awkwardness." 

"That  settles  it,"  she  said,  merrily,  "I  was  on  the  point  of 
inviting  you." 

The  dance  began,  and  the  sight  which  these  fantasticly 
dressed  people  presented  was  both  fine  and  unique.  When  it 
was  over  the  couples  swarmed  like  so  many  bees,  acting  and 
talking  in  accordance  with  their  characters.  The  Indian  con- 
ducted the  Swedish  maiden  back  to  her  seat,  expressing  the 
hope  that  she  would  favor  him  with  another  dance  during  the 
evening.  As  he  retreated  a  mail  carrier  hustled  through  the 
crowd,  handing  him  a  letter  and  then  disappeared  in  the  multi- 
tude. The  Indian  looked  at  the  missive,  opened  it  carelessly., 
and  was  on  the  point  of  putting  it  indifferently  into  his  pocket,, 
when  he  suddenly  started,  reading  not  only  attentively,  but 
excitedlv,  as  follows : 


EITHER,  OR.  313 

Patropolis,  Febuary  21st,  18 — 
Dear  Run : — Your  uncle  Sam  got  your  note,  but  being 
sick  with  the  rheumatics,  begs  me  to  tell  you  that  you  can't 
have  the  boxes  with  toy  soldiers  for  which  you  ask.  He 
really  can't  afford  the  outlay  now;  so  you'll  have  to  play  a. 
while  longer  with  the  old  ones.  As  to  the  venture  in  red 
skins,  rabbits  and  catfish,  uncle  thinks  it  is  poor  stock,  and 
advises  you  not  to  meddle  with  it.     Affectionately, 

Aunt  Betsv. 
The  chief  mused.  These  simple  lines  seemed  to  have  an 
almost  magical  effect  upon  him,  for  he  sank  into  a  re  very  so- 
deep  as  actually  to  overlook  and  therefore  miss  the  next 
dance.  Meanwhile  the  carrier  had  industriously  plied  his  vo- 
cation and  handed  his  letters  right  and  left.  The  recipients, 
however,  did  not  all  seem  so  deeply  affected  as  the  Indian,  for 
while  some  laughed,  others  called  the  carrier  cheeky,  and 
threatened  to  hand  in  a  complaint  to  the  Postmaster  General. 
Finally  the  dispenser  of  missives  espied  a  costly  clad  Man- 
darin, who  walked  leisurely  and  with  much  dignity  among 
the  crowd.  "Letter,  sir,"  cried  the  carrier,  diving  iin  his  usual, 
fashion  into  the  crowd  and  disappearing  before  the  Chinaman 
had  opened  his  letter.  Let's  look  over  his  shoulder  to  see 
whether  we  can  discover  Chinese  characters.  No,  the  letters 
are  English,  so  let  us  see  what  the  contents  are.  Hurry,  for 
the  Mandarin  seems  strangely  excited,  and  may  crumble  up 
the  letter,  unless  we  hasten.  He  reads  it  a  second  time,  with 
increasing  interest,  if  not  excitement.     Let  us  join  him. 

Patropolis,  Feb.  21st,  18 — . 
Dear  Joe  :  — I  am  sorry  to  inform  you  that  my  old  man  is 
sick.  His  stomach  is  out  of  sorts,  he  says,  and  he  blames 
Congress  for  the  trouble.  He  says  some  of  its  bills  lie 
very  heavy  on  his  stomach,  and  defy  all  attempts  at 
digestion.  Having  heard  it  whishered  that  you  intend  offer- 
ing a  soldier  bill  after  vacation,  he  begs  you  earnestly  to  spare 
him,  as  such  a  bill  might  make  his  malady  fatal.  He  says,  he- 
has  more  soldiers  now  than  he  can  feed  and  pay,  so  please 
don't  bother  him.      The  doctor  has  forbidden    Sam  to  go  out... 


314  HITHER,  OR. 

and  as  time  is  very  heavy  on  him,  he  begs  you  to  send  him 
that  dialogue  between  the  Senator  and  the  General,  delivered 
in  No.  10  to  cut  it  out  and  paste  it  into  his  scrap  book.  Trust- 
ing that  you  will  humor  him  in  these  requests,  I  am,  dear  Joe. 
Yours  very  truly,  Aunt  Betsy. 

The  Mandarin  felt  the  perspiration  rolling  down  his  brow. 
"Confoundedly  hot  here"  he  muttered  turning  in  the 
direction  of  the  bar  room.  "How  in  the  devil's  name  this 
thing  could  have  leaked  out  is  more  than  I  can  comprehend. 
Runwell  can  hardly  have  been  crazy  enough  to  give  it  away. 
I  must  see  him  about  it,  though." 

By  this  time  our  carrier's  supply  had  become  nearly  ex- 
hausted. He  held  only  one  more  letter ;  but  with  it  he  seemed 
rather  chary,  for  he  looked  this  way,  and  that  way,  without 
being  able  to  make  up  his  mind.  At  last,  however,  he  seemed 
to  have  formed  a  resolution.  He  worked  his  way  to  an  ele- 
gantly attired  Turk  in  a  blue  jacket  and  red  pantaloons, 
uttering  his  stereotyped  "letter,  sir,"  and  then  disappearing 
not  merely  from  his  neighborhood  but  from  the  ball  room.  After 
seeing  that  he  was  unobserved,  he  opened  the  little  dressing 
room,  where  we  have  seen  him  at  the  opening  of  the  ball,  and 
rapidly  unrobed,  to  don  with  the  same  rapidity  a  suit  such  as 
Italian  or  Hungarian  scissor  grinders  are  won't  to  wear; 
although  his  suit  was  of  superior  material  and  rather  a  fash- 
ionable cut.  Next  he  picked  up  his  apparatus,  and  was  on  the 
point  of  turning  to  the  ball  room,  when  Harry  made  his  ap- 
pearance. While  they  conversed  together,  let  us  go  and 
watch  the  Turk  and  the  letter  he  has  received.  It  is  very 
short  it  seems,  for  on  looking  over  his  shoulder,  we  noticed 
only  a  line  or  two.  Yet  the  contents  must  be  very  startling, 
for  the  hands  of  the  Turk  shake  violently,  and  it  is  with  a 
powerful  effort,  that  he  succeeded  in  holding  the  paper 
sufficiently  still  to  read  a  second  time,  as  follows : 

Plutopolis,  Feb.  22,  18 — . 
Arthur  dear : — Rejoice!    I  have  found  you  at  last,  and  am 
dying  to  meet  you,  which  will  be  at  twelve,  when  they  un- 


EITHER,  OR.  315 

mask.     Bertha  is  also  here;  so   are  your   particular  friends, 
Nemesis  and  Retribution. 

Yours  impatiently, 

Elinor. 

To  the  Turk,  too,  the  air  seemed  intolerably  hot.  He 
Jen.  the  room,  then  the  hall,  and  next  evening  the  papers  con- 
tained amongst  their  personals,  this  notice:  "We  learn  that 
Mr.  Cyrus  Cheatham,  son  of  Senator  Cheatham,  has  started 
on  an  European  trip  to  restore  his  health,  which  has  been 
frail  and  unsatisfactory  for  some  time.' '  Somehow  the  disap- 
pearance of  the  Turk  did  not  seem  to  dampen  the  spirits  of 
the  crowd,  which  went  on  dancing,  chatting,  teasing  and  flirt- 
ing, as  before.  It  did  not  disturb  the  equinamity  of  the 
younger  Sister  of  Mercy  who,  contrary  to  her  vow  of  abstin- 
ence, danced  almost  every  dance,  having  invariably  for  her 
partner  a  big  knight  errant,  who  had  fastened  her  glove  to  the 
crest  of  his  helmet  and  served  her  as  faithfully  as  any  paladin 
of  ancient  times.  When  the  pair  did  not  dance,  they  prom- 
enaded or  partook  of  the  refreshments  so  temptingly  dis- 
played in  adjacent  apartments.  While  thus  engaged,  they 
said  all  the  pretty  and  sweet  things  discoursed  on  such  occa- 
sions, things  very  delightful  for  the  parties  concerned,  but 
rather  stale  for  outsiders.  We  shall,  therefore,  not  render 
them  here,  and  only  chronicle  a  short  conversation  bearing 
directly  upon  our  story. 

"So  you  are  happy  and  content?"  the  knight  inquired, 
while  handing  an  ice  cream  to  the  Sister. 

"Happy,  Lucius  ?  Yes,  I  am  happier  than  I  have  been 
for  years.  I  feel  like  newlv  born,  like  one  awakening  from  a 
long  and  distressing  dream.  In  fact,  the  past  is  like  a  blank 
to  me,  and  I  do  not  recollect  a  thing  after  my  parents'  death , 
and — and  my  marriage.  I  sometimes  think  I  must  have 
been  ill,  very  ill,  for — " 

"I  would  not  borrow  trouble,  dear,"  he  said  soothingly, 
fearing  that  too  deep  a  search  might  bring  trouble  and  recol- 
lections both  dangerous  and  unpleasant.  "Richard  tells  me 
that  he  has  learned  definitely,  that  your  husband  is  dead.     So 


3i  6  EITHER,  OR. 

there  is  nothing  in  the  way  to  our  happiness,  and  if  you  will 
only  set  the  day — mind,  an  early  day — for  our  wedding,  yo  us 
will  bind  in  adamant  chains  the  truest  knight  that  ever 
lived." 

The  answer  was  a  gracious  one,  so  what  need  of  details  ?' 
These  knights  are  generally  jealous,  and  dare  devils  in  the 
bargain,  so  we  had  better  get  out  of  the  way  of  this 
one,  and  mingle  again  with  the  crowd,  where,  amongst 
other  masks,  a  scissor  grinder  is  plying  his  trade.  Just  as  we 
join  him,  he  accosts  an  Indian  chief,  saying :  "Want  your 
scalping  iron  ground,  Geronimo?  Good  thing  to  prepare  in 
times  of  peace  for  war,  you  know.  There  is  war  in  the  air,, 
they  say.  Injuns  on  the  warpath,  you  know,  and  the  British 
lion  shaking  his  shaggy  mane." 

The  warrior  started.  "What  do  vou  mean,  fellow? "  he 
asked  somewhat  haughtily. 

"Mean  ?  There's  nothing  mean  about  me,  Geronimo. 
We  tinkers  are  plain  folks ;  no  meanness  about  us.  We  grind 
scissors  but  no  souls." 

Again  the  warrior  started,  and  seemed  inclined  to> 
take  the  grinder  to  task.  The  latter,  however,  had  had  his 
say,  and,  taking  up  his  frame,  sought  new  employment  and 
new  adventures.  Running  against  a  pompous  Mandarin,  he 
exclaimed  :  "Ah,  son  of  the  celestial  realm,  any  work  for  me  ? 
Hard  times,  these,  Mr.  Chinaman  ;  nothing  to  tinker  but  the 
constitution,  and  nothing  to  mend  but  the  manners  of  our 
nabobs.     Can't  you  give  a  fellow  a  job?  " 

The  Mandarin  eved  him  keenly,  then  said  gruffly:  "You 
mimic  the  rascals  well,  sir." 

"The  nabobs,  Mandarin?  You  better  be  careful  sir  to* 
call  them  names.  They  are  surly,  they  are,  just  now,  and 
might  haul  you  over  the  coals." 

"I  mean  the  fellows  you  mimic.  They  need  a  lesson, 
good  fellow,  and  I  shouldn't  wonder  if  it  would  be  given 
before  long." 

"You  call  me  good,  Sir  Mandarin.  Thanks  for  the  com- 
pliment.     I  know  many  a  grinder  that  would  hesitate  to  re- 


EITHER,  OR.  317 

turn  the  compliment.     The}'  are  ungrateful,  they  are,  in  spite 
-of  all  the  blessings  the  nabobs  bestow  upon  them." 

The  Mandarin  laughed  angrily.  "You  mock  them  well- 
sir.  One  would  almost  imagine,  to  hear  one  of  the  saucy  imps 
in  person.     Hallo,  Esquimo,  a  word !  " 

The  tinker  pursued  his  way,  addressing  the  masks  every 
where  and  actually  grinding  a  few  knives,  to  the  delight  of 
the  crowd.  Suddenly  somebody  touched  his  elbow,  and  when 
he  turned,  he  noticed  a  Carmelite  nun  standing  by  his  side. 

"Tinker"  she  said,  her  voice  trembling  with  suppressed 
■emotion,  "may  I  claim  your  services  in  private  for  a  minute  or 
two?  " 

He  gazed  at  her  keenly,  expecting  to  discover  some  ac- 
quaintance, but  failed  to  notice  any  peculiarities  which  could 
lead  to  a  recognition. 

"I  am  at  your  service,"  he  said  with  a  bow,  rather  at 
variance  with  the  profession. 

"Then  follow  me."  the  nun  replied,  turning  and  leaving 
the  ball  room,  to  enter  one  of  the  adjoining  apartments. 

There  was  nobody  in  it  and  the  noise  of  the  crowded  hall 
h  roke  into  it  only  like  the  breakers  of  the  turbulent  sea  into 
a  sheltered  bay.  Leaving  the  door  open  the  nun  turned  sud- 
denly and  said,  with  the  same  marks  of  inward  excitement : 
"'Do  }rou  not  recognize  my  voice,  sir?" 

Once  more  he  gazed  keenly,  then  shook  his  head ,  saying 
■wonderingly  :  "I  do  not." 

A  sigh  escaped  her  lips.  "No  wonder,"  she  said,  almost 
Sadly.  "You  merely  did  me  a  service,  probably  a  daily  occur- 
rence with  one  so  brave.  I  owe  you  my  life.  Do  you  still 
fail  to  recognize  my  identity?" 

He  did  recognize  her.  This  was  the  brave  girl  he  had 
rescued  from  the  hands  of  the  mob  on  the  memorable  night 
■of  the  riot;  but  was  he  at  liberty  to  acknowledgle  the  fact? 
Would  he  not  jeopardize  his  incognito,  by  entrusting  his 
secret  to  this  woman,  a  member  of  the  caste,  against  which 
his  efforts  were  directed?  No,  prudence  counseled  discretion 
.at  the  expense  of  generosity,  so  he  kept  on   shaking  his  head, 


3i8  EITHER,  OR. 

saying  evasively,  "You  probably  mistake  me  for  some  one  else,, 
madam." 

She  shook  her  head  almost  fiercely,  crying:  "Take  you 
for  some  one  else?  How  could  I?  The  man  of  whom  I 
speak  rescued  me  from  the  hands  of  an  infuriated  mob,  and 
you  think  I  could  mistake  his  voice?  I  would  recognize  it 
from  a  thousand,  for  it  is  engraven  here,  (laying  her  hand 
upon  her  bosom,)  and  I  would  recognize  it  a  hundred  years 
hence  as  readily  as  to-night." 

A  queer  feeling  seized  him.  He  felt  strangely  moved  by 
this  intensity  of  gratitude,  this — this — well  this  ardent  con- 
fession of  harboring  in  her  virgin  heart  the  tone  of  the  voice 
of  the  man  to  whom  she  owed  her  life.  He  felt  instinctively 
that  this  woman  was  pure  and  good,  uncorrupted  by  the  licen- 
tiousness of  the  class  to  which  she  belonged.  The  very  ardor 
of  her  confession  convinced  him  of  the  simplicity  of  her  soulr 
for  an  experienced  woman  would  have  been  much  more  ver- 
bose, and  much  less  emotional  on  the  occasion.  What  should 
he  do?  Should  he  yield  to  the  dictates  of  a  nature  as  unso- 
phisticated as  hers?  Should  he  reveal  to  her  his  name  and 
thus  put  it  in  her  power  to  thwart  his  purposes?  No,  he  dare 
not.  If  his  avowal  would  have  simply  imperiled  his  own  in- 
terests or  life,  it  would  not  have  mattered,  and  affected  only 
himself.  But  his  secret  involved  the  welfare  of  many  thous- 
ands and  he  felt  that  he  had  not  the  right  to  imperil  their  in- 
terests. This  girl  might  be  good,  pure  and  noble,  but  she 
was  frail  like  other  human  beings,  and  might  betray  her  dis- 
covery under  the  pressure  of  excitement  or  emotion.  The 
girl  construed  his  continued  silence  as  a  refusal  to  comply 
with  her  desire,  so  she  tore  the  mask  from  her  face  with  an 
impetuous  jerk,  exclaiming  at  the  same  time  impressively: 
"Now,   do  you  recognize  me?" 

The  face  he  saw  was  truly  like  a  sudden  revelation.  On 
the  night  of  the  riot  he  had  lacked  both  the  time  and  inclina- 
tion, to  study  her  features.  Consequently  her  impetuous  act 
was  like  a  sudden  inspiration.     And  this  was  what  he  saw  : 

The  girl  was  tall,  only  about  a  head  lower  than  himself. 


EITHER,  OR.  319 

a  circumstance  which  brought  her  face  close  to  his  own,  and 
caused  her  breath  to  fan  his  cheek.  A  glorious  mass  of  gold- 
en hair  crowned  her  shapely  head.  Her  face  formed  an  oval 
of  almost  perfect  proportions.  Her  features  were  of  the  Grec- 
ian type,  her  eyes  blue  and  deep,  like  the  well  in  which  the 
sky  is  reflected.  Her  complexion  was  pure  and  delicate,  and 
the  rosy  lips  of  a  sweet  mouth  so  tempting,  that  a  frenzied  de- 
sire to  kiss  it  rose  in  Richard's  mind,  to  be  quelled,  of  course, 
as  rapidly  as  it  had  been  born.  Her  figure  was  wrapped  in 
the  loose  folds  of  her  nun's  habit,  but  Richard  had  no  doubt 
that  it  was  as  faultless  as  her  face,  for  nature  is  no  bungler, 
and  seldom  does  her  work  by  halves.  Our  friend  struggled  a 
few  seconds  with  his  feelings,  then  said  :  "It  is  hardly  fair 
to  call  to  your  aid  such  matchless  beauty — " 

She  interrupted  him  with  a  cry  of  anguish. 

"I  ask  you  for  the  bread  of  life,"  she  moaned,  "and  you 
turn  me  off  with  compliments." 

Obeying  a  sudden  impulse,  he  seized  her  hand  and  pressed 
it  fervently  to  his  lips.     Then  he  said  : 

"You  do  not  know  what  you  ask  of  me.  I  am  not  what 
I  seem  and  my  incognito  involves  the  safety  of  many 
people." 

"I  do  not  care  who  or  what  you  are.  I  know  you  must 
be,  you  are  good  and  noble.  That  is  enough  for  me.  I  do 
not  care  even  to  know  your  name;  but  I  beg  you  to  permit 
and  to  accept  the  outpourings  of  a  grateful  heart.  Oh  !  do  not 
deny  your  identity  any  longer.  Confess  to  me  that  you  are 
the  hero  who,  at  the  peril  of  his  life,  rescued  me  from  a  terri- 
ble fate." 

"Have  it  your  own  way,  then,  excepting  the  hero,  which 
I  cannot  admit.      You  were  the  heroine  that  night,  madam." 

"Oh,  I  thank  you  with  all  my  heart  for  this  confession," 
she  cried  joyously,  seizing  both  his  hands  and  pressing  them 
with  fervor.  "And — and — you  say  that  I  cannot  see  you 
again,  that  some  mysterious  fetter  binds  your  lips  and 
hands?" 

"Yes.     It  is  folly  in  me  to  admit  even  this,  but  I  feel  that 


j2o  HITHER,  OR. 

you  are  true  and  honest,  and  that  you  will  not  abuse  iny  con- 
fidence. I  would  tell  you  more,  but  the  welfare  of  thousands 
is  involved  in  my  discretion,  so  I  must  forbear." 

"You  are  right,  no  doubt.  You  have  accepted  my  grati- 
tude and  that  is  all  I  wanted.  A  heavy  load  is  taken  off  my 
mind,  and  I  shall  leave  you,  for  rny  people  may  miss  me. 
Before  we  part,  however,  I  want  to  tell  you  that  my  name  is 
Blanche  Cheatham  and — " 

"Cheatham? "  he  interrupted  her  almost  fiercely.  "Did 
you  say  Cheatham,  madam  !  " 

"I  did"  she  replied  wonderingly  ;  "what  is  the  matter? 
why  does  my  name  excite  you  so?" 

"Oh  never  mind — it  was  only  a  passing  fancy.  Are  you 
the  daughter  of,  of — " 

"Senator  Cheatham  ?"  she  completed.  "Yes  I  am  his 
'daughter.  My  father  has  money  and  influence,  and  if  ever  you 
need  his  help — " 

He  shook  his  head  vehemently,  saying:  "No,  no,  not  his 
help,  not  his." 

"You  seem  to  bear  him  ill,"  she  resumed.  "Well,  my 
help,  then.  If  ever  you  need  it  call  on  me,  and  I  shall  bless 
you.  You  cannot  tell  me  your  name  I  suppose  ?  "  she  added, 
smiling  sadly. 

He  shook  his  head. 

"Be  it  so  then.  J  have  seen  your  face,  have  heard  your 
voice.  That  will  do  me  for  the  rest  of  my  life.  Farewell? 
She  pressed  her  face  against  his  hands,  then  .said  once  more  : 
'''Farewell?"  and  turning  her  back,  glided  from  the  room. 
.For  a  moment  he  felt  an  almost  mad  desire  to  draw  her  into 
his  arms,  and  shower  a  thousand  kisses  on  her  face  ;  then  he 
felt  a  sudden  dizziness  seize  him,  causing  him  to  grasp  the 
edge  of  the  table  in  support.  When  he  recovered  a  few 
seconds  later,  she  had  vanished. 


EITHER,  OR.  321 

CHAPTER   XVIII. 

FLUCTUATIONS. 

The  human  soul  is  like  the  ocean  or  the  atmosphere, 
rarely  at  rest,  and  moved,  now  by  joy,  now  by  grief,  and  very 
frequently  by  fierce  and  violent  passions.  Richard  that  night 
did  not  await  the  hour  of  unmasking.  He  felt  that  he  could  not 
a  second  time  stand  before  these  eloquent  and  pleading  eyes 
without  melting  away  before  them  like  the  snow  before  the 
sirocco.  He  invented  some  excuse  to  leave  his  friends,  and 
on  reaching  the  solitude  of  his  room,  walked  its  length  much 
like  the  tiger  recently  taken  from  its  jungles  and  placed  into 
a  cage.  Never  before,  perhaps,  had  he  met  with  such  a  pow- 
erful temptation.  While  his  duty,  the  vow  he  had  taken  in 
the  face  of  heaven  and  earth,  the  promise  to  the  memory  of  a 
dear  mother  beckoned  one  way,  an  alluring  face  clothed  in  all 
the  charms  of  beauty,  innocence,  goodness  and  loveliness,  drew 
the  other.  It  was  no  easy  battle  our  friend  fought  that  night. 
In  vain  did  he  say  to  himself,  ''yqu  have  no  business  to  love. 
You  have  devoted  your  life  to  your  race;  have,  so  to  speak, 
married  humanity.  To  draw  a  gentle,  tender,  frail,  inexpe- 
rienced being  into  the  vortex  of  your  agitated  existence, 
would  not  be  merely  folly — it  would  be  criminal.  And  then 
this  girl  above  all  others ;  she,  the  daughter  of  the  man  that 
killed  your  parents.  She,  the  sister  of  the  man  that  wrecked 
the  happiness  of  your  sister.  She,  the  child  of  wealth,  luxury 
and  ease.  Why,  man,  it  is  absurd  to  think  of  such  a  thing, 
much  more  to  entertain  the  idea  seriously  and  permanently. 
Arouse  yourself,  Richard,  buckle  on  the  armor  of  your 
strength,  and  destroy  without  mercy  a  phantom,  threatening 
to  unman  you,  and  to  crush  resolutions  so  noble,  aspirations 
so  grand,  and  obligations  so  binding." 

All  these  things  he  said  to  himself,  but  the  dawn  of 
morning  stole  into  his  room,  without  bringing  strength.  "I 
love  her,"  his  heart  cried.  "I  love  her  with  every  fibre  of  my 
being"  and  he  who  knows  human  nature,  knows  also  that  such  a 


322  '      EITHER.  OR. 

voice  is  hard  to  quell,  and  that  he  who  does  succeed  in  this 
task,  can  well  boast  of  Herculean  strength.  When  the  sun 
peeped  into  Richard's  room,  he  said  to  himself:  "I  cannot 
crush  this  feeling.  Well,  I  will  run  away  from  it.  I  will,  I 
must  leave  this  place,  until  I  have  torn  this  feeling  from  my 
heart.'' 

Idle  threat  ?  Idle  resolution  ?  You  may  kill  your  heart, 
but  you  cannot  kill  the  impulses  with  which  Nature  has 
imbued  it. 

When  he  appeared  at  breakfast  the  ladies  noticed  his 
apathy  and  weariness 

"Why,  Richard,  I  am  surprised,"  Mrs.  Kean  cried  play- 
fully. "It  seems  you  cannot  bear  these  mighty  revels.  Look 
at  me,  an  old  woman ;  look  at  your  sister.  We  are  both  fresh 
like  roses  in  the  dew  of  morning,  while  you  appear  perfectly 
used  up." 

"It  is  a  fact,  aunty,  I  am  used  up,  and  think  a  change  of 
scenery  will  do  me  good.  I'll  pack  my  trunk  to  day,  and  take 
a  stroll  through  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  country." 

"Why,  Richard,  you  alirm  me.  I  was  only  in  fun.  Do 
you  really  feel  fatigued  ?" 

"More  mentally  than  physically,  Aunt  Laura.  If  you 
were  in  fun,  I  am  in  earnest,  and  really  propose  to  take  a  little 
trip.  The  change  of  scenery  will  build  me  up  again,  I 
reckon." 

Richard  Velder,  however,  was  not  the  only  person  whose 
feelings  were  deeply  stirred  by  the  occurrences  of  that 
memorable  evening.  General  Runwell  received  a  note  the 
following  morning  to  the  effect  that  Senator  Cheatham  would 
like  to  meet  him  at  the  club  rooms  at  eight  that  evening. 
The  General  complied,  and  when  the  two  met,  they  gazed  at 
one  another  in  mutual  silence  before  they  spoke. 

"Do  you  understand  it  General?"  the  statesman  finally 
put  in. 

"Deuced,  if  I  do.  It  beats'me  that  that  thing  leaked  out. 
Do  you  think  it  could  have  been  the  waiter  ?  " 

"I  am  sure  it  wasn't.     Even  if  he  had  listened  at  the  key- 


EITHER,  OR.  323 

hole,  he  could  not  have  heard  our  conversation.  You  go  out- 
side and  listen,  to  convince  yourself." 

The  General  did  so,  the  Senator  speaking  in  rather  a 
loud  key.  When  he  re-entered,  the  other  inquired :  "Are 
you  satisfied?  " 

"I  am  as  to  the  waiter,  but  that  only  deepens  the  mystery. 
Did  you  examine  the  walls  ?  May  be  there  is  some  hiding 
place  which  has  escaped  us." 

"I  have  tested  the  walls  and  found  them  solid.  It  beats 
me,  and  makes  me  nervous.  It  isn't  at  all  pleasant  to  have 
you  watched  and  exposed  in  this  manner." 

"What  did  the  fellow  write  to  you  ?" 

The  Senator  handed  him  the  note. 

"Hm  !  He  does  not  threaten,  but  implies  a  threat.  What 
are  you  going  to  do  about  it?  " 

"Do  about  it?  Go  ahead,  of  course.  Do  you  think 
Senator  Cheatham  is  the  man  to  shrink  from  a  shadow  ? " 

"This  is  a  pretty  substantial  shadow,  Senator.  I,  for  my 
part,  prefer  to  withdraw  from  the  agreement.  I  do  not  wish 
to  have  my  name  paraded  in  the  papers." 

The  other  smiled  contemptuously.  "Show  the  white 
feathers?"  he  asked  with  a  sneer.  "I  call  that  queer  in  a  mili- 
tary man." 

"Well,  you  ma}'-  smile  as  much  as  you  please,  Mr.  Cheat- 
ham. You  politicians  are  used  to  haviug  your  names  and 
character  hauled  over  the  coals  every  day  in  the  year,  but 
with  a  soldier  it  is  a  different  thing.  I,et  the  country  once 
know  that  he  dabbles  in  politics  and  takes  to  wire  pulling, 
and  his  fate  is  sealed.  He'll  never  rise  to  the  top  of  the 
ladder." 

"Didn't  Brant  dabble  in  politics?  " 

"Yes  after  he  had  climbed  to  the  top,  not  before." 

"Well,  I  am  sorry,  that  is  all,  sorry  for  you  I  mean,  for 
you  are  throwing  away  a  plank  which  would  have  raised  you 
to  a  high  position." 

"You  are  ambiguous,  Senator,"  the  General  said  with  a 
smile.     "I  know  of  high   positions  not    at  all    to  my  liking." 


324  EITHER,  OR. 

The  statesman  smiled  a  forced  smile.  "Hang  it  all"  he  cried 
angrily,  I  wish  I  could  get  hold  of  this  fellow.  Wonder  how 
he  crawled  in  anyhow.  He  must  have  forged  his  ticket,  for 
no  one  in  our  set  would  have  humored  such  a  cad." 

The  General  looked  at  him  fixedl)*.  "I  think  you  are 
mistaken  Mr.  Cheatham"  he  said  impressively.  In  my 
opinion  the  carrier  was  one  of  our  own  set.  That  is  the  worst 
feature  in  the  ugly  business.     Our  own  men  are  going  back  on 

2CS." 

"I  can't  believe  it.  I  won't  believe  it.  What  in  the  devil's 
name  could  induce  them?" 

"Did  you  never  hear  of  the  rats  that  leave  the  sinking 
ship?" 

The  other  started  and  looked  vexed.  "General,"  he  cried 
with  an  attempt  at  cheerfulness.  "You  are  an  old  owl,  shame 
on  you.  Waiter,  bring  us  a  bottle  of  old  port.  You  make  a 
fellow  nervous.  Here  is  a  toast  to  which  I  want  you  to 
respond:     The  upper  crust  backed  by  a  strong  army." 

"I  have  no  objection,  I  am  sure.  But  say  Senator,  what 
got  into  your  son  ?  When  did  he  conceive  this  sudden  freak 
of  a  European  tour  ? " 

"The  devil  knows.  I  don't." 

"May  be  he  got  a  letter,  too." 

The  statesman  started  again.  "Possibly  but  not  likely. 
Cy  has  looked  too  deep  into  the  cup  of  pleasure,  I  fear,  and 
sees  the  necessity  of  prudence.  I  don't  care  much,  for  Cy  did 
not  do  anything  but  spend  money,  a  trick  of  which  one  gets 
tired  at  last." 

"I  have  no  doubt  of  it.  By  the  way,  I  learn  that  Miss 
Cheatham  is  to  link  her  name  with  that  of  a  foreign  noble- 
man.    Is  it  too  early  to  offer  my  congratulations  ?  " 

"Damn  all  foreign  noblemen!"  the  statesman  cried,  his 
eyes  blazing  and  his  hand  putting  the  wine  glass  so  heavily 
upon  the  table  as  to  smash  it  to  pieces.  Then  recollecting  his 
companion  and  the  place,  he  said  apologetically  :  "Pardon  my 
violence,  General.  Fact  is,  this  confounded  note,  together 
with  vexing  family  affairs  have  unstrung  me  to  such  a  degree 


EITHER,  OR.  325 

as  to  treat  my  best  friends  in  this  manner.  Fact  is,  Blanche 
has  refused  the  Count,  the  little  fool.  I  tell  you  this  to  ex- 
plain my  temper.  Trust  you  will  make  no  use  of  this  con- 
fidential communication." 

The  general  promised,  but  after  he  had  left  the  Senator, 
he  looked  after  him  with  a  mixture  of  pity  and  wonderment, 
muttering  to  himself:  "H'm,  he  is  in  a  bad  fix.  His  wife,  a 
frozen  statue  ;  his  son,  a  wreck,  and  now  his  daughter  a  rebel 
against  paternal  authority.  Senator  Cheatham,  I  think,  your 
ship  is  leaky,  and  the  rats  teach  one  a  lesson  worthy  of  re- 
membrance." 

Blanche  Cheatham  was  another  party  which  took  home 
much  material  for  thought  from  the  masked  ball.  On  the 
whole  her  thoughts  were  of  a  cheerful  character.  She  had 
seen,  or  rather  heard  him  again,  who  had  not  onlv  rescued 
her,  but  filled  her  mind  ever  since,  to  the  exclusion  of  every- 
thing else.  Before  this  meeting  she  had  only  thought  of  him 
as  her  deliverer,  as  a  hero,  as  a  being  to  be  admired  and  looked 
up  to.  If  she  had  had  our  experience,  dear  reader,  she  would 
have  known,  that  with  women,  to  admire  is  almost  always  to 
love.  She  had  loved  Richard  from  that  evening,  without 
knowing  it  herself,  and  the  existence  of  this  love  had  prob- 
ably nerved  her  for,  and  sustained  her  in  conflict  with  patern- 
al authority.  When  her  mother  met  her  at  breakfast  on  the 
following  morning,  she  looked  not  only  not  tired,  but  so  hap- 
py, nay  radiant,  that  her  mother  said  with  a  smile  :  "Masked 
balls  seem  to  agree  with-  you,  my  daughter.  You  look  as  if 
you  had  had  a  draught  of  the  fountain  of  everlasting  youth." 
Now,  between  this,  mother  and  this  daughter,  there  was 
trust,  as  perfect  as  it  is  rare.  The  pure  soul1  of  the  girl  pre- 
sented the  limpidness  of  the  Spring,  showing  every  sentiment 
to  the  bottom.  She  embraced  her  mother  with  her  usual 
fervor,  then  said,  hiding  her  face  on  the  other's  bosom:  'T 
have  had  such  a  draught,  mother  dear.  I  met  him  at  the  ball 
last  night."     \ 

"Met  whom,  little,  one .?"  her    mother,  asked  with  some 
concern.     When  a  mother  hears  her  daughter  speak  of  "him," 


326  EITHER.OR. 

she  blusters  a  good  deal  like  the  hen,  which  scents  the  hawk 
in  the  air. 

"Why,  him,  don't  you  know?"  Blanche  asked  a  little  pet- 
ulantly, as  if  she  thought  it  preposterous  to  think  of  any  one 
but  the  demigod  in  question. 

"Indeed,  I  do  not.  You  haven't  told  me  that  you  think  of 
any  one  particularly," 

The  girl  blushed  and  said,  hiding  her  face  deeper  in  the 
maternal  bosom:  "Until  yesterday,  I  only  dreamt  of  him, 
mamma." 

"And  now  you  think  of  him,  eh?  Well,  that  is  startling 
news.     May  I  inquire,  who  he  is?" 

"I  could  not  tell  you,  mamma,  for  I  do  not  know  his 
name." 

"Don't  know  his  name,  and  yet  dream,  yea  think  of  him. 
That  is  rather  strange.  Can't  you  give  me  the  clue  to  that 
mystery?" 

"I  can  and  will,  mamma,  far  as  I  am  able." 

And  then  she  told  her  of  her  rendezvous  with  the  stranger 
witholding  neither  facts  nor  feelings,  causing  her  mother  to 
exclaim  with  much  concern,  after  she  had  finished. 

"Blanche,  my  dear  girl,  I  fear  you  love  this  man." 

"I  know  I  do,  mamma.  I  have  known  it  ever  since  last 
night.  But  I  do  not  fear,  dear  mother,  I  rejoice,  for  to  love 
him  is  to  exclude  fear." 

"But  he  says  himself,  that  he  is  engaged  in  some  danger- 
ous business,  and  that  he — " 

"It  may  be  dangerous,  but  it  must  be  honorable,  or  he 
would  not  pursue  it." 

"He  may  be  one  of  those  enthusiastic  dreamers  who  pre- 
tend to  aim  at  the  elevation  of  the  masses,  exposing  their 
lives  to  deadly  attacks  by  both  foe  and  friend." 

"Whatever  it  is  mother,  it  must  be  noble,  else  he  would 
not  embrace  it." 

"You  are  of  strong  faith  child,  and  I  almost  envy  you,  for 
such  faith  exalts,  while  slavery  of  any  kind  degrades  and 
debases.  But  such  a  passion  of  yours  leads  too  often  to  disap- 


EITHER.  OR.  327 

pointment  as  gratification.      You  may   never  see  your  hero 
again,  poor  child." 

"Then  I  shall  feast  upon  his  memory.  Even  such  a  feast 
will  glorify  a  long  life,  and  guard  against  the  contamination 
of  everything  low  and  evil." 

Mrs.  Cheatham  embraced  her  daughter,  saying :  "You 
are  a  noble  girl,  Blanche,  but  too  exalted  for  the  standard  of 
happiness  used  by  the  world.  Martyrs  are  more  frequently 
made  of  such  material  than  Fortune's  favorites.  May  heaven 
grant  that  you  will  form  an  exception  !  " 

The  next  morning  witnessed  the  departure  of  Richard 
Velder,  who  disappeared  somewhere  between  Plutopolis  and 
Lakeopolis,  to  remain  unearthed  for  quite  a  while,  if  not  for- 
ever, as  Richard  Brown  told  Duncan  on  his  arrival  in  the 
latter  city.  The  delight  of  the  little  family  at  the  sight  of  the 
tinker  was  great.  Alice  went  even  so  far  as  to  kiss  him  re- 
peatedly, a  demonstration  applauded  vigorously  by  her  hus- 
band, who  declared  that  Dick  was  a  fellow  of  whom  you 
couldn't  get  jealous  in  spite  of  yourself.  After  they  had 
petted  him  to  their  heart's  content,  and  feasted  and  fed  him 
to  a  dangerous  extent,  they  informed  him  of  the  condition  of 
the  brotherhood  in  Lakeopolis.  It  was  highly  satisfactory, 
according  to  their  account.  "We  have  nearly  a  million  mem- 
bers in  the  West,  Dick,"  Charles  reported,  "and  I  should  not 
at  all  wonder,  if  the  South  could  muster  as  many;  which, 
with  the  East,  would  make  the  total  membership  about  four 
millions.  Deduct  from  this  number  the  sisters  and  we  have  a 
grand  total  of  three  million  men  capable  of  bearing  arms — 
and  using  them,  too,"  Duncan  emphasized.  "Your  remit- 
tances have  been  put  to  a  good  purpose,  for  we  now  turn  out 
a  hundred  rifles  per  day.  The  trouble  is,  they  are  so  good 
that  they  are  gobbled  up  by  outsiders  nearly  as  fast  as  we  can 
make  them." 

"Let  them  go,  Charley.     We  can   use   every   pennj-  they 
will  bring.     Are  our  men  pretty  well  supplied  now?  " 

"About  two  thirds,  I  should  say.     I  think   three   months 
from    now    they     will   all    have     their    weapons;     that    is, 


328  EITHER.  OR, 

those  we  have  now.  Indeed,  I  couldn't  begin  to  think  ot  mak- 
ing rifles  as  fast  as  our  cause  makes  converts." 

"That's  a  good  fault,  Charley.  I  think  in  one  year  from 
now  we  can  and  should  begin  to  exercise  our  influence  upon 
the  political  arena  of  the  nation." 

"Won't  our  debut  be  a  caution,  though?"  Charles  ex- 
claimed, chuckling  at  the  idea  of  the  great  surprise  he  ex- 
pected to  give  to  the  world.  "I  think  sometimes  that  we 
ought  to  show  our  hand  in  local  politics  at  once,  to  gain  sup- 
port in  the  municipal  and  State  authorities  ;  but  the  surprise 
we'll  give  them  will  indemnify  me  for  all  this  delay." 

"I  do  not  care  much  for  the  surprise,  Charley,  as  the  stun- 
ning defeat  we  shall  inflict  upon  the  two  old  rotten  parties. 
If  our  brotherhood  increases  at  its  present  rate,  we  shall  be 
able  to  carry  every  State,  elect  our  President,  and  all  the 
members  of  the  lower  house  of  Congress." 

"So  we  shall,  but  mind  me;  the  Senate  will  offer  us  a 
determined  resistence.     They  are  all  millionaires,  you  know." 

"That  is  true  enough,  but  they  are  but  human.  Turn 
the  pressure  of  seventy  millions  upon  them,  and  they  will 
yield."     . 

"I  trust  they  will,  but  it  will  be  safe  to  count  upon  a 
desperate  resistance  on  their  part."  . 

"I  am  prepared  for  that,  friend.  We  must  avoid  violence 
to  the  extreme.  If  we  cannot  get  their  consent,  we  must  wait 
until  the  Senate  is.  filled  with  our  men,  or  until  we  have  a 
majority  there,  which  will  at  most  take  four  years.  Charles 
Duncan,  I  predict,  if  things  progress  favorably,  if  we  grow  at 
our  present  rate,  Nationalism  will  be  introduced  in  Occidentia 
within. six  years." 

"Stop,  Richard,  you  make  me  dizzy.  -My  fondest  hopes 
to  become  reality  in  so  .short  space  of  time,  and  I  to  live 
and  see  the  emancipation  of  millions  from  a  slavery  worse  than 
that  of  color!     Richard,  it  is  almost  too  good  to  become  real," 

"It  is  only  hope  so  often  thwarted,  expectation  so  sadly 
foiled,  calculation  so  poorl)-  verified  which  make  you  so  des- 
pondent, Duncan.    Fortunately  it  is  not  hope,  not  expectation 


EITHER,  OR.  329 

or  calculation  upon  which  we  base  our  plans.  It  is  solid  facts 
already  achieved ;  preparations  completed,  faithful  hearts  won 
and  sturdy  arms  ready  for  strife  to  the  bitter  end  if  necessary, 
which  justify  my  prediction,  that,  in  six  years  Nationalism,  that 
is  justice,  equity  and  brotherly  love  will  shape  the  destiny  of  the 
people  of  Occide7itia." 

"Amen,  and  hurrah  ;  "  cried  Duncan. 

This 'active  life  in  a  measure  restored  Richard's  peace  of 
mind.  Once  more  the  great  problem  of  his  life  assumed  the 
prominent  place  in  his  mind,  to  which  it  was  entitled,  but  deep 
in  the  recesses  of  his  heart,  in  the  fanciful  realms  of  his  imagi- 
nation a  never  to  be  forgotten  image  ruled  supreme,  its  sway 
being  despotic  in  proportion  to  its  boundlessness.  There  the 
murder  of  his  parents  could  not  enter,  the  seducer  of  his  sister 
mar  his  visions.  Yes,  if  this  image  could  never  become  suf- 
ficiently tangible  to  kiss  his  lips,  smooth  his  brow,  sooth  his 
soul,  weary  from  the  contact  of  a  prosaic  world,  in  his  soul,  at 
least  he  could  build  it  shrines,  and  lay  upon  them  the  best 
emotions,  the  purest  feelings  and  the  most  exalted  conceptions 
of  his  soul. 

Richard  found  it  necessary  to  draw  the  bond  of  union  of 
the  various  lodges  tighter,  and  to  give  the  leaders  of  the  sec- 
tions a  deeper  insight  into  his  plans  and  expectations.  So  he 
commenced  a  second  tour  through  the  land,  addressing  elo- 
quent appeals  to  the  masses,  and  meeting  the  leaders  in 
secret  council.  He  pointed  out  to  them  the  nearness  of  the 
moment,  when  their  principles  must  prevail,  and  so  logic  were 
his  deductions,  so  clear  his  proofs  and  so  evident  his  means  of 
fulfilling,  his  promises,' that  uncertainty  was  changed  into  con- 
fidence; incredulity  to  conviction.  He  told  them  the  necessity 
of  constant  vigilance,  of  increased  activity.  He  proved  to 
them  that  to  stand  still,  is  to  recede,  and  that  the  United 
efforts  of  every  member  were  required  to  bring  about  the 
result  so  fondly  anticipated.  "This  journey  occupied  fatty 
three  months,  and  it  was  only  aftef  he  had  visited  the  remotest 
sections  of  the  country  and  inspired  the  smallest  lodges  with 
new  life,  hope  and  zeal,  that   he  dared  -to  listen   to  the    still 


330  EITHER,  OR. 

voice  within  him,  urging  the  propriety  of  a  return  to  Plutopo- 
lis.  It  was  the  beginning  of  July  when  Richard  stepped  into 
the  grocery  where  he  was  greeted  with  shouts  of  delight. 

"Why,  Mr.  Brown,  where  have  you  been  all  this  time?" 
cried  the  Professor,  shaking  both  his  hands  vigorously,  "I 
have  not  seen  you  for  a  century." 

"Was  it  that  long?  "  inquired  Richard,  with  a  smile. 
"Well,  you  need  not  be  so  particular  about  a  month  or 
two.  But  where  is  Bertha?  You  don't  know,  I  suppose,  that 
my  niece  was  found,  nay,  rescued  by  Mr.  Velder?  Bertha, 
Bertha — Ah.  here  she  is — Bertha,  this  is  Mr.  Brown,  who 
befriended  your  uncle  when  all  the  world  had  turned  its  back 
to  him.  Dick,  this  is  my  niece,  Bertha  Rasmussen,  a  pretty 
good  and  docile  child,  I — if  I  do  say  it  in  her  face." 

"Don't  believe  him,  Mr.  Brown,"  the  child  cried,  shaking 
her  pretty  head,  warningly.  "His  love  for  me  makes  uncle 
blind." 

"Ah,  it  is  well  for  you,  to  thus  qualify  your  assertion," 
the  Professor  said,  roguishly,  "else  I  might  have  taken  you  to 
task  for  calling  me  a  liar." 

Thus  they  chatted  and  joked  until  Richard  said  he  must 
pay  a  visit  to  the  Velders.  He  started  for  his  house,  feeling 
keenly  the  inconvenience  of  his  double  character  and  deter- 
mining to  end  it  at  the  earliest  convenience.  He  sent  in  his 
name  as  Mr.  Brown,  and  was  requested  to  step  into  the  sitting 
room,  where  he  found  not  only  Mrs.  Kean  and  Elinor,  but 
also  Maxwell,  who  stared  at  him,  wondering  what  business 
the  tinker  could  have  with  the  ladies.  As  soon  as  the  servant 
had  closed  the  door,  Richard  embraced  Elinor,  who  struggled 
violently  under  this  daring  familiarity  of  a  stranger,  but  was 
nevertheless  heartily  kissed  before  she  could  disengage  her- 
self. Maxwell  sprung  to  his  feet,  and  was  just  on  the  point 
of  seizing  the  intruder  and  eject  him  from  the  room,  when  the 
audacious  fellow  walked  up  to  Mrs.  Kean  and  hugged  and 
kissed  her  in  fine  style,  carresses  which  she  not  merely 
endured,  but  even  returned  with  emphasis.  Maxwell  began 
to  doubt  his  own  identity,  and  was  on  the  point  of  pinching 


EITHER,  OR.  331 

himself  to  see  whether  he  was  awake  or  dreaming,  when  the 
saucy  stranger  stepped  up  to  him,  extended  his  hand  and 
said:  "How  do,  Maxwell?  Been  well  all  this  time?  How  are 
you  and  Elinor  getting  on  ?  Is  the  day  set,  or  are  you  going 
to  await  the  return  of  that  harumscarum,  Velder?" 

Maxwell  stood  like  one  perfectly  bewildered,  hesitating  to 
accept  his  proffered  hand. 

"  'Tis  clean,  sir,"  Richard  said,  with  a  laugh;  "we  tinkers 
make  it  a  point  to  keep  hands  as  well  as  conscience  clean,  a 
"boast  which  some  of  your  nabobs  cannot  make  or  rather  sus- 
tain." 

At  this  moment  Elinor  flung  herself  once  more  into  the 
tinker's  arms,  to  the  boundless  consternation  of  her  lover,  who 
began  to  fear  that  the  whole  crew  had  gone  crazy,  until  Elinor 
turned  to  him,  saying  with  one  peal  of  laughter  after  another. 
"Why  it  is  brother  Dick,  you  stupid  boy,  don't  you  see?  You 
need  not  boast  of  your  keenness  hereafter,  for  it  is  my  humble 
self  that  has  sharper  eyes  than  you." 

"Your  brother  !  "  Maxwell  ejaculated,  still  dazed  by  this 
unexpected  development  of  things,  laying,  however  his  hand 
cautiously  into  the  other's.  "I  declare,  I  begin  to  see  it  now. 
So  you  are  the  famous  tinker,  and  have  been  playing  possum 
all  this  while  ?  Do  you  know  that  I  do  not  feel  quite  safe  in 
the  presence  of  such  a  formidable  anarchist  ?  " 

"Being  a  swell,  you  have  good   reasons  to  be   scared  and. 
cautious.     I  eat   one  naboo   regularly  every  day,  but  having 
breakfasted  on  one  this  morning,  you  are  safe  for  the  remain- 
der of  the  day." 

"Thanks  for  that  assuring  piece  of  information.  And 
Aunt  Laura  was  the  only  one  in  the  plot  ?  I  am  looking  for 
Tevelations  both  startling  and  interesting.  Arn't  you,  Elinor?  " 

"I  am  Lucius;  so  make  a  clean  breast  of  it,  and  quick,  or 
this  poor  boy  will  die.  Talk  of  a  woman's  curiosity!  Why,  a 
man's  beats  it  all  hollow.  I  bet  a  dollar  poor  Lucius  will 
die  if  you  don't  unburden  before  to-night." 

"Quite  a  tempting  prospect,"  Richard  said  laughingly,  "for 
m  that  case  there  would  be  one  aristocrat  less." 


332  EITHER,  OR. 

"And  my  only  chance  of  getting  a  man"  Elinor  cried .. 
laughing  gaily,  "no  brother,  you.  surely  could  not  be  so  cruel." 

"Well,  the  prospects  of  getting  you  off  my  hands  really 
deserves  some  consideration,  so  I  may  as  well  make  a  clean 
breast  of  it."  Suddenly  his  face  became  very  serious,  and 
looking  gravely  into  Maxwell's  face,  he  added:  "Maxwell,  the 
communication  I  am  going  to  make  are  a  stronger  proof  of 
my  faith  in  your  secrecy,  your  discretion  and  your  honor,  than 
a  thousand  mere  professions  to  that  effect.  Nor  is  it  your 
honor  alone  in  which  I  have  perfect  confidence,  but  your 
sagacity  as  well.  True,  you  belong  to  the  upper  crust,  that 
is,  to  the  people  who  live  in  luxury  and  idleness,  at  the  ex- 
pense of  their  less  fortunate  brethren  ;  but  you  are  neither 
blind  nor  obtuse  and  have  probably  read  many  signs  pointing 
to  a  radical  change  in  the  condition  of  society.  If  you  have 
been  blind,  my  relations  will  open  your  eyes,  as  I  can  prove 
every  assertion  I  am  going  to  advance.  I  do  not  demand  of 
you  any  pledges  of  secrecy,  for  such  demands  would  imply  a 
distrust  which  I  do  not  feel,  and  an  insult  to  a  man  I  honor 
and  love.  Are  you  ready  for  my  communications?  Remem 
ber  that  they  involve  the  weal  of  millions.  If  you  feel  as  if 
you  should  not  assume  the  obligation  of  secrecy  imposed  upon 
you  by  honor,  say  so,  and  I  will  spare  you  from  the  knowledge 
of  things  which  may  disturb  and  worry  you." 

Maxwell  thought  a  moment,  then  took  Richard's  hand 
and  said,  earnestly:  "Dick,  you  are  considerably  personified. 
I  think  I  understand  you,  and  surely  appreciate  your  senti- 
ments for  me.  In  reply  I  would  say  :  A  man  of  your  chai"- 
acter  cannot  possibly  engage  in  anything  low  and  dishonor- 
able, so  go  on." 

"I  thank  you  in  turn,  Lucius,  and  now  listen,  both  ot  you, 
for  you  will  hear  strange  and  startling  things." 

Then  our  friend  gave  Maxwell  a  concise,- but  exhaustive 
sketch  of  his  life,  of  his  parents'  fate,  and  the  charge  of  his- 
dying  mother.  He  explained  how  his  own  investigations, 
studies  and  experiences  had  verified  his  mother's  denunciation 
of  a  cruel  and  selfish  minority,  and  had  given  strength,  depth. 


EITHER,  OR.  333 

and  character  to  the  resolutions  evoked  by  his  dying  mother. 
He  sketched  his  preparations,  his  labors,  his  disappointments, 
his  hopes  and  his  just  expectations,  ending  with  the  firm  con- 
viction that  the  rejuvenation  of  society  and  more  humane  con- 
dition of  affairs  were  close  at  hand.  Maxwell  had  not  inter- 
rupted him  by  word  or  gesture.  Man  of  the  world  and  expe- 
rience, though  he  was,  he  did  not  share  with  many  of  his  caste, 
the  error  of  an  underestimation  of  the  probability  of  an  im- 
pending crisis.  Richard's  communications  furnished  Maxwell 
with  a  new  scale  to  measure  the  rare  gifts  of  Richard  Velder, 
or,  as  he  called  himself  now,  Richard  Brown.  He  knew  well 
what  such  a  man  can  accomplish;  indeed  he  could  not  help 
-seeing  what  he  had  accomplished  already.  He  did  not  doubt 
the  statement  that  four  millions  of  intelligent  inhabitants  of 
Occidentia  had  sworn  to  his  colors,  and  that  they  would  stand 
by  him  at  the  crisis.  Nor  could  he  help  perceiving  that  this 
scheme  was  as  lofty  and  gigantic  as  any  ever  concocted  by  a 
human  brain.  Finally  he  could  not  help  acknowledging  the 
truth  and  correctness  of  Richard's  assertions  in  regard  to  the 
unjust  distributions  of  the  pleasures  as  well  as  labors  of  life. 

All  these  things,  we  say,  he  admitted;  but  having  hitherto 
floated  on  the  current  of  an  easy  and  luxurious  life,  he 
had  never  troubled  himself  about  evils  which  in  his 
opinion,  were  not  of  his  making,  and,  morever  beyond 
his  strength  to  remedy.  Perhaps  he  had  at  times  felt 
dimly  conscious  of  the  unfairness  of  his  life,  but  such  an  in- 
distinct feeling  and  the  burning  conviction  of  his  friend 
were  two  very  different  things,  and  it  was  now,  perhaps,  the 
first  time  that  this  consciousness  assumed  a  more  definite 
form,  and  a  troublesome  character.  Yet,  while  these  feelings 
agitated  his  mind,  the  reader  must  not  imagine  that  such  a 
devotee  of  pleasure,  ease  and  recreation,  could  all  at  once 
awaken  to  the  unworthiness  of  his  position.  He  had  too  long 
enjoyed  the  privileges  of  his  caste,  to  think  at  once  of  sur- 
rendering them,  and,  while  he  was  determined  to  justify 
Richard's  confidence,  he  was  by  no  means  prepared  to  make 
common  cause  with  him. 


334  EITHER,  OR. 

"You  are  aw  enthusiast,  Richard,"  he  said  when  the 
other  had  ended,  "and  a  noble  one  in  the  bargain.  But  do  you 
not  forget  that  to  do  justice  to  the  people,  you  do  injustice  to 
their  oppressors  as  you  call  them  ?  " 

"I  do  not,  Maxwell.  In  which  way  would  I  wrong 
them?" 

"By  depriving  them  of  their  means  of  existence." 

"I  beg  your  pardon,  I,  or  rather  we  have  no  such  inten- 
tion." 

"Are  you  going  to  despoil  the  rich  of  that  which  is  justly 
theirs?" 

"Justly,  Maxwell?  Will  you  please  tell  me  what  creates 
all  wealth?" 

"Various  things,  such  as  labor  speculations — ," 

"You  are  mistaken.  Speculation  does  not  create  wealth, 
it  merely  changes  it.  If  you  speculate  in  lands  or  goods  you 
simply  abuse  the  necessities  of  your  neighbors  bv  charging 
them  exhorbant  prices.  If  your  corner  lots  double  in  value 
you  do  not  mean  to  tell  me  that  you  increase  the  wealth  of 
the  community,  simply  shifting  their  money  from  their 
pockets  into  yours?  No,  no,"  he  continued,  when  he  per 
ceived  that  his  friend  remained  silent.  "Labor  is  the  only 
source  of  wealth.  How  then  does  it  come  that  the  laborer 
the  producer  of  this  wealth,  remains  poor,  while  the  idler  be- 
comes wealthy?  Don't  you  see  that  he  takes  an  undue  portion 
and  that  the  abuse  of  this  undue  portion,  that  is,  speculation, 
constantly  increases  his  wealth  at  the  expense  of  the  pro- 
ducer? " 

Maxwell  did  not  reply,  perhaps  because  he  could  not,  so 
Richard  went  on:  "You  know  as  well  as  I  that  the  immense 
fortunes  of  the  country  have  not  been  made  by  labor,  but  by 
speculation.  The  original  speculators  died,  leaving  their 
wealth  to  their  children.  Now  I  ask  you  simply  and  plainly. 
Does  this  circumstance  make  it  any  more  right  for  the  chil- 
dren to  keep  and  enjoy  this  wealth,  than  was  the  case  witk 
the  parents,  that  is,  the  original  robbers?" 


EITHER,  OR.  335 

"You  use  harsh  terms,  Richard,"  Maxwell  said,  with  the 
grimace. 

"But  just  ones;  or  don't  you  call  a  man  that  steals,  a  rob- 
ber? Let  us  take  the  case  of  the  Irish,  for  instance.  I  need 
not  tell  you  that  Edward  the  II.,  I  believe,  conquered  Ireland, 
and  gave  the  land  of  the  inhabitants  to  his  nobles,  whose 
descendants  hold  them  now.  Do  you  think  their  title  would 
stand  for  a  moment,  if  equity  had  to  decide?" 

"The  courts  of  the  country,  do,  at  all  events." 
"You  are  equivocating.  It  is  against  the  existing  laws 
our  efforts  are  directed,  because  they  are  partial  and  unjust. 
In  moral  law,  or,  if  you  prefer,  in  justice  pure  and  simple,  the 
descendants  of  these  robbers  have  no  title  to  the  estates  they 
hold.  No  more  have  the  children  of  the  millionaires  of  this 
or  any  other  country,  and  a  movement  designing  the  spolia- 
tion of  such  owners  could  hardly  be  accused  of  injustice.  Be- 
sides, if  the  nation  assumes  their  wealth,  they  still  are  co-own- 
ers not  only  of  their  former  wealth,  but  that  of  their  neigh- 
bors, as  well." 

"It  is  easy  for  an  outsider  to  talk  that  way,  Richard." 
Richard  colored.     "You  forget,  Maxwell,  that  I  am  not  an 
outsider,  that  I  have  already  spent  millions  in  this  cause,  and 
propose  to  spend  every  cent  I   own  for  the  benefit  of  the  peo- 
ple.'* 

"Yes,  I  know  you  are  unselfish,  Richard,"  the  other  said, 
hastily.  "Nor  did  I  mean  any  reflection  on  you  personally. 
But  you  must  confess  that  many  of  these  innovators  desire 
nothing  more  or  less  than  to  enrich  themselves  at  our  ex- 
pense." 

"There  are  few  such  people,  Maxwell,  I  admit;  but  I 
have  been  much  amongst  these  people,  and  I  assure  you  that 
on  the  whole,  selfishness  taints  them  much  less  than  the  rich. 
It  is  the  very  low  and  ignorant  that  reason  and  work  that  way, 
and  it  is  for  this  reason  I  want  everybody  to  be  educated  and 
enlightened." 

"Well,  there  is  much  truth  in  what  you  say,  and  I  will 
think  it  all  over,  but  for  the  present  you  must  pardon  me  if  I 


336  EITHER,  OR. 

stand  aloof  irom  a  movement  which  may  result  in  the  wreck 
and  ruin  of  society.'' 

"I  expect  nothing  else.  Nor  will  I  worry  you  by  preach- 
ing and  attempts  at  conversation;  but  mark  what  I  tell  you 
now:  You  cannot  take  in  the  light  of  truth  without  becoming 
affected  by  it,  and  if  you  will  investigate  my  doctrines  care- 
fully and  impartially,  vou  cannot  help  becoming  a  convert  to 
our  cause." 

"If  I  do,  I  shall  make  an  honest  confession." 

"That's  all  I  can  and  do  expect." 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

PACING  THE  TIGER  IN   HIS  JUNGLE. 

We  do  not  head  this  chapter  "Bearding  the  lion  in  his 
den,"  because  the  lion  is  said  to  have  some  noble  traits,  that 
of  generosity  and  magnanimity,  for  instance.  Whether  these 
epithets  are  justly  his  due,  we  shall  not  discuss  at  this  place 
although  we  seriously  doubt  it.  The  tiger,  on  the  other  hand, 
is  not  only  more  blood-thirsty,  but  also  more  treacherous,  and 
to  face  him  in  his  native  haunt,  the  jungle,  requires  nerve  and 
presence  of  mind,  virtues  which  we  wish  to  impress  before 
hand  upon  the  reader,  hence  the  superscription. 

Richard  took  his  abode  for  the  present  in  the  grocery, 
many  considerations  counseling  such  a  measure  for  a  while  at 
least.  He  did,  however,  no  longer  carry  his  apparatus,  nor 
did  he  grind  the  shears  of  tailors,  the  scissors  of  house  wives, 
or  the  knives  of  butchers.  It  was  not  so  much  the  masses  he 
sought,  as  the  presence  of  the  leaders,  discussing  with  them 
measures  too  important  and  perilous  to  be  entrusted  to  the 
masses  before  the  proper  moment.  These  deliberations,  how- 
ever, soon  showed  results.  In  almost  every  ward,  excepting 
those  devoted  exclusively  to  business  or  occupied  by  the  palaces 
of  the  rich,  large  buildings  were  either  purchased  and  then  mod- 
ified, or  erected  anew.    All  of  them  contained  large  basements 


EITHER,  OR.  337 

or  cellars  in  which  kitchens  or  restaurants  were  located,  not 
so  much  for  the  present   accommodation   of  the  members  or 
the  public,  as  for   future  emergencies,  such   as  strikes,  garri- 
sons  and  the   like.     Of  course,  being  established,  they  were 
used,  dispensing   food   at   low  prices   to  the  poor  and  needy, 
thus  serving  from  the  start  as  highly  useful  and  timely  meas- 
ures.    In  other  apartments  the  members  stored  the  rifles  with 
which  they  were  equipped  in    their  capacity  of  military  orga- 
nizations.     Finally    each    edifice    contained   a   large   hall  or 
lecture  room,  in  which  able  men  taught  the  members  political 
economy,  natural  science,  and  in  the  case  of  women— cookery. 
We  need  hardly   add  that  Professor  Andersen   played  a  con- 
spicious  role  in    these  exercises,  having  declaired   his    inten- 
tion   to   remain  in    Occidentia   even    at   the   risk  of  loosing 
his    pension        The    membership    of    Plutopolis    had    long 
since    outgrown    the    dimensions    of .  National  Hall,    and    it 
seemed  actually  as  if  the  acquisition  of  new  places  of  meeting 
was  all  that  was  needed  to  give  the  order  a  new  and  ever 
more  wonderful  start    than  that    heralded  before.       Duncan 
doubled,    yes,   trebled    his    forces,    yet    could    hardly    keep 
pace  with  the  demand    for   rifles   pouring   in    from  all  sides. 
Richard  did  everything  in  his  power  to  counsel  prudence  and 
moderation  on   the   part   of  the    members,  knowing  full  well 
that  the  foes  ot  public  freedom  would  jump  at  every  chance  to 
frighten  the  timid  and  cautious.     On  the  whole  he  succeeded, 
but  occasionally  the   cruder    and   deeply   ignorant  portion  of 
his  followers  could  not  be  totally   refrained  from  manifesting 
a  spirit  well   calculated   to    alarm   not   merely  the  timid,  but 
even  Richard  himself.     He   therefore   continued   to  urge  the 
acquisition   of  more  knowledge.     "More  light?  More  light!" 
he  cried,  with  Goethe  at  every  opportunity. 

Thus  the  summer  and  fall  wore  away,  and,  with  the 
month  of  December,  Congress  once  more  assembled  in  the 
Capital  of  Patropolis.  Richard  was  not  a  little  startled  by 
reading  in  the  daily  papers  that  Senator  Cheatham  had  an- 
nounced his  intention,  immediately  after  the  introductory  ex- 
ercises, to  offer  a  military  bill  to  the  Senate  after  the  holidays, 


338  EITHER.  OR.- 

stating  in  a  preamble  his  reasons  for  such  a  step.  He 
pointed  to  the  growing  Indian  troubles,  the  war  clouds  rising 
frequently  on  the  political  horizon  and  the  danger  of  compli- 
cations with  rival  powers.  Thirdly,  he  pointed  to  the  danger 
growing  out  of  internal  commotions,  and  dissimination  of 
socialistic  and  even  anarchical  doctrines,  and  the  open  avowal 
of  the  poor  to  compel  a  surrender  of  the  wealth  of  the  monied 
classes.  He  pointed  to  the  unreliability  of  the  militia  on  such 
occasions,  and  declared  it  to  be  his  intention  to  move  an  in- 
crease of  the  regular  army  to  one  hundred  thousand  men. 

He  seemed  to  have  made  this  announcement  purposely 
at  an  early  date,  to  occasion  a  discussion  of  the  measure  and 
the  disappearance  of  the  first  heat,  which  such  a  design  would 
undoubtedly  produce.  He  probably  also  desired  to  belabor 
the  press,  knowing  full  well  the  folly  of  the  idea  that  the 
press  presents  the  public  sentiment  and  is  guided  by  it.  He 
knew  very  well  that  the  press,  like  the  pulpit,  is  but  too  often 
influenced  by  interest,  knowing  full  well  where  their  bread  is 
buttered. 

Richard  studied  deep  and  carefully  before  he  decided 
upon  a  course  of  conduct.  He  did  not  wish  to  have  this 
measure  carried  and  executed,  knowing  full  well  that  the  ex- 
istence of  large  military  forces  begets  a  desire  to  use  them, 
and  that  a  struggle  against  a  hundred  thousand  men,  well 
drilled  and  equipped  with  all  instruments  of  war,  might  pro- 
voke a  fearful  slaughter,  dreadful  to  contemplate,  even  in  case 
of  success,  of  which  he  felt  sure  under  all  circumstances.  His 
first  warning  had  caused  a  delay,  that  was  all,  and  a  new  and 
stronger  pressure  must  be  applied  to  secure  a  new  respite. 
What  should    he  do?     What  could  he  do? 

Write  again  ?  He  could  say  nothing  more  intimidating 
than  his  first  missive.  No,  writing  would  not  answer  the  pur- 
pose. Should  he  go  in  person  and  scare  the  fellow  by  the  in- 
timation of  personal  danger  or  exposure  of  old  short  comings? 
His  natural  fairness  shrank  from  such  a  course,  but  this  bill 
must  be  killed  in  the  bud,  even  at  the  expense  of  the  Sena- 
tor's feelings.      The  paper  giving  the  above  news,  stated  also 


EITHER,  OR.  339 

that  the  Senator  was  expected  to  spend  Christmas  at  home,  so 
here  was  an  opportunity  to  carry  out  his  plan  if  he  were  bent 
upon  its  execution. 

Richard  did  not  decide  at  once,  but  the  more  he  thought 
of  the  idea,  the  more  he  liked  it.  Its  very  boldness  possessed 
a  fascination  to  one  so  fearless  as  our  friend.  It  was  then 
fully  two  weeks  to  the  holidays  so  there  was  no  hurry  to 
decide  the  matter,  but  it  was  nevertheless  decided  on  the  very 
next  morning.  When  he  returned  home  that  night  he  found 
Maxwell,  who  informed  him  that  Elinor  had  consented  to 
marry  him  on  Christmas.  "I  tell  you  this  early"  he  said 
banteringly,  "to  prevent  you  from  flying  off  at  a  tangent  at 
that  time.  You  better  make  a  memorandum  of  the  fact,  old 
fellow  or  you'll  stray  off  in  a  fit  of  absent  mindedness.  By  the 
way,  Dick,  did  I  tell  you  that  Runwell  is  sweet  on  that  little 
Swede  at  the  grocery?" 

"Is  he?  No,  you  did  not,  I  hope  he  has  honest  inten- 
tions, for,  if  not,  I  authorize  you  to  tell  him  that  I  shall  break 
every  bone  of  his  body  for  him." 

"Oh,  I  think  it  is  all  right.  The  girl  is  very  pretty,  and 
what  is  more,  lovable." 

"Does  she  return  his  fancy?  " 

"I  cannot  tell,  but  Elinor  thinks  she  does.  I  told  the 
ladies  and  they  have  promised  to  take  matters  in  hand  and  see 
that  the  little  one  does  not  come  to  harm." 

"All  right  then.  I  think  we  can  leave  matters  in  their 
hands.     It  takes  a  woman  to  make  matches  you  know." 

Day  followed  day,  and  at  last  Christmas  was  at  hand. 
Richard  had  resolved  to  let  it  pass,  partly  because  his  sister 
was  to  be  wedded  then,  and  partly  from  a  natural  repugnance 
to  bring  disquietude  into  a  family  at  that  time.  He  did  not 
know  why,  but  he  had  a  certain  forboding  that  his  step  would 
bring  about  startling,  and  perhaps  ominous  results.  This 
presentiment,  however,  did  not  change  his  purpose,  only 
causing  a  more  deliberate  taking  of  his  measures.  When  the 
morning  of  the  intended  visit  arrived,  he  opened  his  trunk  and 
gazed  a  moment  at  the  coat  of  mail,  which  he  had  secured  in 


34o  KITHKR.OR. 

Berlin,  but  never  used.  Should  he  put  it  on  ?  He  had  no 
doubt  that  the  man  he  meant  to  visit  would  put  him  out  of 
the  way  in  case  of  necessity,  without  any  compunction,  pro- 
vided he  could  do  so  with  safety  and  without  any  "eclat;  " 
but  in  this  instance  the  servant  would  announce  him,  and  look 
for  his  departure  as  a  natural  consequence.  No,  he  did  not 
fear  open  violence  on  the  part  of  the  Senator.  Besides  he 
shrank  from  such  a  measure  of  precaution,  indicating  appre- 
hension, moreover  of  a  man  whom  he  despised  but  did  not 
fear.  No,  he  would  not  put  on  the  coat,  so  he  again  closed 
the  trunk,  disdaining  even  to  arm  himself  with  a  revolver. 
He  took  the  street  car  to  the  Cheatham  mansion,  and  alight- 
ing and  ascending  the  flight  of  stairs  to  the  first  floor,  re- 
questing the  servant  in  waiting  to  announce  to  Mr.  Cheatham 
his  wish  to  see  him. 

"Whom  shall  I  announce,  Sir?" 

"Brown,  if  you  please." 

Let  us  anticipate  the  footman  and  visit  the  statesman's 
study,  or  rather  the  library  next  to  it.  The  study  was  a  room 
of  only  moderate  size,  but  the  library  was  an  apartment 
much  more  spacious.  It  was  lined  with  book  cases  of  the 
finest  tropical  wood,  only  the  windows  breaking  the  lines,  the 
cases  forming  their  deep  recuses  well  fitted  for  retirement 
with  a  favorite  author. 

Now  it  happened  that  on  this  morning  the  door  of  one 
of  the  cases  had  been  flung  open,  hiding  not  only  one  of  the 
windows,  but  also  an  easy  chair  and  its  occupant,  Miss 
Blanche  Cheatham.  She  had  come  into  the  library  at  an  early 
hour  and  retired  to  her  snug  corner,  not  with  the  view  of  con- 
cealment, for  she  had  nothing  to  conceal,  but  because  its 
seclusion  agreed  with  her  dreamy  mood.  She  soon  was  deep- 
ly interested  in  Goethe's  "Hermann  und  Dorothea"  which  she 
read  fluently  in  the  original,  and  which  somehow  struck  a 
kindred  chord  in  her  soul.  She  was  so  absorbed  that  she 
failed  to  notice  the  entrance  of  her  father  in  his  study.  The 
Senator  walked  to  the  door  of  the  library  which  was  open,  not 
so  much  with    the  mien  of  a  man  who    looks  for   something 


EITHER,  OR.  341 

especial,  but  rather  with  the  abstraction  of  an  occupied  mind. 
The  soft  Brussel  carpet  made  his  footsteps  almost  inaudible, 
so  Blanche  failed  to  notice  them  and  went  on  reading.  The 
statesman  walked  leisurel}'  to  his  arm  chair,  sank  into  its 
luxurious  cushions,  and  taking  up  the  paper  began  to  glance 
over  the  telegraphic  news.  Congress  adjourned,  he  read  half 
aloud.  Hon.  Cheatham  home  to  prepare  his  great  military 
bill.     The  entire  country  astir  over — Well,  what  is  it?" 

"Please,  sir,  there's  a  gentleman  out  there  who  wishes  to 
speak  to  you." 

"What's  his  name,  John?" 

"He  says  it  is  Brown,  sir." 

The  Senator  prided  himself  upon  his  popularity  with  the 
masses.  He  was  easy  of  access,  knowing  fully  well  that  it 
tickles  the  average  citizen  to  feel  himself  as  good  as  the  best, 
and  to  shake  hands  with  the  big  bugs  of  his  country.  So  he 
said  affably:  "Show  him  in,  sir,  show  him  in." 

John  went  out  and  a  minute  later  Richard  Brown  stood 
before  the  Senator.  There  was  something  in  his  mien  and 
bearing  which  attracted  and  chained  the  statesman's  attention. 
He  stood  erect;  his  face  looked  calm  and  unmoved,  and  his 
clear,  penetrating  eyes  rested  so  searchingly  upon  the  Senator, 
as  to  cause  him  to  lower  his.  Recovering  himself  instantly, 
how*,  ver,  he  smiled  affably  at  his  visitor,  saying  with  a  slight 
inclination  of  his  head:  "How  do  you  do,  Mr.  Brown.  Please 
be  seated;  I  understand  that  you  desire  to  speak  to  me.  What 
can  I  do  for  you  ?  " 

"No  thanks;  I  will  not  trouble  you  long,  and  what  I  have 
to  say,  I  can  say  standing." 

He  paused  a  moment  and  at  the  same  time  there  was  a 
slight  fluster  in  the  library.  Richard  had  not  spoken  loud,  but 
his  voice  had  a  metallic  ring,  which  sent  it  over  much  space. 
The  voice  of  the  servant  had  been  overheard  by  Blanche;  the 
words  of  her  father  had  not  touched  a  chord  within  her,  but 
when  Richard's  clear  tones  vibrated  in  the  air,  she  heard  them 
and  became  alert.  Thus  it  is  that  the  strings  of  one  harp 
vibrate  to  the  music  of  another.     Her  heart  strings  have  been 


342  KITHER.OR. 

touched,  and  lo!  They  correspond.  At  first  she  stands  irreso- 
lute, an  innate  delicacy  of  feeling  prompting  her  to  avoid  the 
role  of  eaves  dropper,  though  unwilling;  but  the  next  words 
of  the  visitor  chain  her  to  the  spot,  and  soon  she  is  totally 
absorbed  by  the  conversation  in  the  study,  as  to  cease  to  be 
a  free  agent.  But  hush!  The  voice  resumes:  "I  learn  from 
the  papers,  sir.  that  you  will  offer  a  militarv  bill  to  the  Senate 
on  the  re-opening  of  its  sessions.  Are  the  papers  correct, 
sir?" 

These  words  were  so  unexpected  to  the  Senator,  that  they 
puzzled  him  for  a  moment;  but  thinking  that  he  saw  before 
him  one  of  those  political  cranks  one  meets  occasionally,  he 
said  good  naturedly:  "Yes,  -Mr.  Brown,  you  have  been  rightly 
informed.     I  shall  introduce  such  a  bill  before  long." 

"In  that  case  I  ask  you  in  the  name  of  the  people  of  this 
country  to  desist,  as  such  a  measure  is  antagonistic  to  its  true 
interests." 

The  other  opened  his  eyes  in  great  surprise,  but  ad- 
hering to  his  original  estimate  of  the  visitor,  he  said, 
in  the  same  affable  tone:  "Well,  this  is  a  free  country,  Mr. 
Brown,  and  everybody  can  entertain  such  opinions  as  he 
pleases.  But  while  I  do  not  dispute  your  right  in  this  respect, 
I  claim  the  same,  you  see.  This  bill  is  the  offspring  of  much 
and  mature  thought,  and  I  must  therefore,  refuse  your  request 
of  quashing  it." 

"Then,  if  you  have  no  consideration  for  our  country,  Mr. 
Cheatham,  consider  your  own  interests.  I  tell  you,  not  as  a 
friend,  but  as  a  prophet:  If  you  persist  in  offering  this  bill, 
it  will  ruin  you  as  surely  as  the  sun  now  shines  in  the 
heavens.'1 

By  this  time  the  Senator  had  risen,  and  now  stood  before 
our  friend  in  wonder  and  surprise.  This  was  no  crank,  it  was 
a  fellow  who  presumed  on  his  good  nature  and  had  come  here 
for  a  purpose,  which  the  Senator  did  not  know,  suspecting, 
however,  that  the  bill  was  a  mere  pretense. 

"Who  are  you?"  he  asked,  changing  his  tone  and  assum- 
ing severity,  instead  of  affability. 


EITHER.  OR.  343 

"Do  you  really  want  to  know.  vSenator  Cheatham?"  Rich- 
ard said,  impressively,  coming  one  step  nearer.  "I  would 
spare  you,  if  I  could,  but  fear  you  will  not  heed  my  warning,  un- 
less I  tell  you.  I  am  the  son  of  him  you  slew,  the  son  of  her 
you  caused  to  die  with  a  broken  heart!  " 

The  effect  of  these  words  on  the  Senator  were  startling. 
He  shrank  back  in  consternation,  fumbling  with  his  hand  for 
support.  His  cheek  paled, his  eyes  became  like  petrified,  dwell- 
ing upon  the  visitor  with  unspeakable  horror.  His  lips  tried 
to  formulate  some  words,  and  finally  stammered  the  one  word 
"Woods." 

"Your  memory  serves  you  well,  Senator  Cheatham,  I  am 
the  son  of  those  good  and  noble  people,  whom  your  fiendish 
hatred  sent  to  an  early  grave.  Oh,  fear  nothing.  I  could 
have  slain  you  a  dozen  times  if  I  had  wished,  but  the  last 
wish  of  a  dying  mother  makes  you  safe  as  far  as  I  am  con- 
cerned. Nor  would  I  have  intruded  here  if  you  had  not 
formed  this  tyrannical  scheme  against  the  people.  Again  I 
say:  Beware!  Again  I  warn  you  and  prophecy  that  the  mere 
introduction  of  such  a  measure  will  achieve  your  ruin.  I  now 
offer  you  this  compromise.:  You  abandon  this  scheme  against 
my  native  land,  I,  on  my  part  shall  endeavor  to  forget  that  the 
persecution  of  my  dearest  friends  on  earth,  originated  with 
vSenator  Cheatham." 

The  vSenator  seemed  to  awaken  suddenly  as  from  a  trance. 
His  terror  vanished  and  an  uncoutrolable  rage  at  being  thus 
braved  in  his  own  house,  seized  him.  The  recollection  of  his 
momentary  fright  undoubtedly  fanned  his  fury,  being  by  no 
means  flattering  to  his  manhood.  Foam  gathered  on  his  lips, 
and  he  hissed  more  than  spoke. 

"You  dare  to  threaten  me?  Out  with  you,  or  I  shall 
shoot  you  like  a  dog." 

Richard  stood  unmoved.  Folding  his  arms  on  his  breast 
he  said  sternly,  but  calmly:  "Yon  won't  listen,  then  ?  Very 
well,  there  will  be  war  then  between  us,  and  may  the  righteou.-. 
cause  win.' 

He  faced  the  enraged  man  a  moment  longer,  then  seized 


344  EITHER,  OR. 

his  hat  and  turned  to  leave  the  room,  when  a  howl  of  rage 
caused  him  to  look  back.  He  saw  the  Senator  spring  toward 
a  bureau,  jerk  open  a  drawer,  snatch  from  it  a  revolver,  and 
with  it  in  hand  turn  once  more  upon  his  antagonist.  What 
now  followed  occurred  so  rapidly  that  Richard  retained  of  it 
only  an  instinct  recollection  or  rather  the  impressions  were 
interwoven  into  one  like  the  picture  of  a  region  seen  from  a 
railway  train  dashing  on  at  the  rate  of  sixty  miles  an  hour. 
He  remembered  that  the  Senator  turned  upon  him;  then  he 
heard  a  cry  of  agony  and  the  frightened  exclamation  "father." 
Next  he  saw  a  white  figure  flit  through  the  room,  and  a 
second  later,  felt  two  soft  arms  entwine  themselves  around  his 
neck  while  almost  at  the  same  time  a  pistol  shot  rang  through 
the  room.  He  felt  the  fmgei  tremble,  he  heard  a  cry  of  pain, 
then  felt  the  arms  around  his  neck  relaxing  their  hold,  but  it 
was  more  instinct  than  conscious  reasoning  which  caused  him 
to  encircle  it  with  his  arms.  In  doing  so  he  felt  something 
warm  running  over  his  fingers,  and  looking  down,  saw  them 
stained  with  a  purple  fluid.  Then  the  terrible  consciousness 
that  she  had  been  wounded,  perhaps  killed,  in  her  efforts  to 
save  his  life,  came  to  him,  almost  overpowering  him.  Noth- 
ing out  ihe  precious  burden  in  his  arms  saved  the  other's  life 
at  that  moment. 

"Monster!  You  have  killed  her?"  he  cried  in  an  agony 
of  pain,  looked  at  the  same  time  for  a  place  to  lay  the  un- 
conscious girl.  At  that  moment  a  second  pistol  shot  rang 
through  the  air,  but  Richard  was  too  occupied  to  know  its 
cause  or  care  for  its  results.  What  we  record  now,  he  learned 
from  others.  They  told  him  that  the  would-be  murderer  had 
staggered  back  in  consternation  at  the  result  of  his  fury.  He 
stumbled  over  a  hassock  in  his  rear,  and  in  his  attempt  to 
righten  himself,  threw  up  his  arms.  In  doing  so  he  must 
have  clutched  his  hand,  thus  pulling  the  trigger,  for  a  report 
followed,  and  when  the  servants  rushed  in  they  found  him 
lying  on  the  floor,  blood  streaming  over  his  face,  and  one  eye 
injured,  if  not  destroyed.  The  shot  must  have  been  fired 
parallel  with  his  face,  for  it  had    pierced  the  bone  of  the  nose 


EITHER,  OR.  345 

and  just  glanced  the  left  eye.  All  this  he  learned  afterwards 
as  we  said  before,  for  just  at  that  moment  the  fate  of  the  states- 
man was  of  no  consequence  to  him,  nor  to  the  pale  mother 
wrho  kneeled  at  her  daughter's  side,  sponging  her  face  with 
cold  water  and  watching  with  a  gleam  of  despair  in  her  eyes, 
for  signs  of  returning  consciousness.  A  moment  later  rapid 
footsteps  drew  near,  and  a  physician  leaned  over  the  prostrate 
figure. 

"Where  is  the  wound  ?  In  her  back  ?  Turn  her  then, 
sir.  You  need  not  fear  to  hurt  her,  she  is  unconscious.  Ah, 
it  is  the  shoulder,  and  no  bones  broken,  it  seems." 

"You  think  she  will  live?"  Mrs.  Cheatham  cried  in 
breathless  suspense. 

"I  think  she  will,  in  fact,  I  know  she  will,  for  the  wound 
is  too  high  up,  to  have  touched  any  vital  spot.  I  will  probe 
the  wound  and  try  to  draw  the  bullet  before  she  comes  to.  Ah, 
here  it  is.  All  right  now  madam.  This  was  a  mighty  luck}* 
accident  indeed.  Now  let  me  dress  the  wound.  If  no  fever 
sets  in  she  will  be  all  right  in  a  couple  of  weeks." 

Just  then  a  quiver  passed  through  the  senseless  body. 
Next  a  pair  of  limpid  blue  eyes  opened,  sending  a  dazed 
glance  over  her  surroundings.  Then  consciousness  returned, 
her  look  became  anxious  and  exclaimed,  trying  to  rise. 
"Where-where  is  he?     Has  he  killed  him?  " 

Richard  could  not  resist  the  impetus  which  urged  him  to 
bend  over  her,  and  his  eyes  must  have  spoken  volumes  of 
tenderness,  for  an  expression  of  great  happiness  came  over 
her  face,  while  she  murmured:     "Safe  !  safe!  " 

Then  she  sank  back  and  the  physician,  an  old  practitioner 
who  probably  devined  a  romance,  but  was  too  prudent  to 
betray  his  thoughts,  said  peremptorily:  "No  nonsense  now. 
Take  hold  of  this  lounge,  young  fellows,"  addressing  some 
servants,  "and  carry  it  to  Miss  Blanche's  room.  I  interdict  all 
excitement,  for  if  fever  sets  in,  the  wound  may  give  us  a  great 
deal  of  trouble.     Gently  now,  lads,  gently." 

Richard  wanted  to  assist,  but  the  doctor  motioned  him 
back  with  a  smile.      "Not  vou,  sir.      She    must  have  rest  and 


346  HITHER,  OR. 

tranquility.     Now  I    must    see    what  my  colleague   thinks  of 
the  Senator's  case.     I  fear  he  won't  get  off  quite  so  easy.'' 

Richard  never  knew  exactly  how  he  got  out  of  the  man- 
sion on  that  memorable  morning.  He  indistinctly  recol- 
lected to  have  bowed  to  a  pale,  frozen  figure,  and  to  have  ex- 
pressed deep  regret  at  the  consequences  ot  a  visit  prompted 
by  pure  and  noble  motives.  The  figure  had  then  pressed  his 
hand,  saying  something  about  her  conviction  of  the  truth  of 
his  professions,  adding  that  her  daughter's  faith  in  him  was 
all  the  guarantee  she  desired.  She  had  ended  by  expressing 
the  hope  of  seeing  him  again,  and  glided  away  to  the  chamber 
where  her  daughter  lay,  suffering  from  a  wound  received  in 
his  behalf.  Sweet  thought,  yet  tinctured  with  pain.  The 
image  repressed  with  so  much  pain  and  trouble  into  the 
recesses  of  his  soul,  once  more  came  forth,  filling  ever  nook 
and  corner  of  his  being,  smiling  sweetly,  but  defiantly  at  any 
attempt  to  shut  it  up  once  more  into  its  prison.  It  did  not 
speak,  but  it  looked  volumes,  saying  in  that  mute,  yet  elo- 
quent way:  "I  have  earned  you  now,  my  blood  has  flowed  for 
you,  I  have  become  a  martyr  for  your  sake.  Who  can  now 
dispute  my  right  to  you?  Who  can  come  between  us?  If 
you  have  grand,  exalted  plans,  can  I  not  share  them?  If  you 
expose  your  life  for  the  welfare  of  the  people,  can  I  not  share 
your  danger?"  Thus  it  spoke  all  the  way  to  his  home,  spoke 
all  day;  filling  his  dreams,  and  finally  compelling  a  compro- 
mise, if  not  a  surrender.  Richard  began  to  think  that  a 
woman  so  brave  and  devoted,  might,  after  all,  not  be  a  draw- 
back, but  a  help.  True,  he  ran  risks  ;  his  antagonists  might 
waylay  and  kill  him,  but  would  the  girl  who  had  received  a 
deadly  wound  for  him,  yes,  probably  saved  his  life,  shrink 
from  such  dangers?  It  seemed  really  an  insult  to  entertain 
such  thoughts.  Finally,  as  to  her  relation  to  the  enemy  of 
his  family,  the  destroyer  of  his  parents'  lives.  Was  it  right 
that  she  should  suffer  for  a  father's  iniquity  ?  He  felt  that 
his  noble  mother  would  scorn  such  an  idea.  He  saw  her  even 
then  smile  sweetly  and  encouragingly  upon  him,  and  expe- 
rienced a  sweet  peace  stealing   over   him,  quelling  all  doubts 


EITHER,  OR.  347 

and  steeling  his  wavering  purposes  into  the  firm  and  un- 
changeable resolution  of  winning  her.  Strange,  the  difficulty 
of  such  an  undertaking  never  once  entered  into  his  calcula- 
tions. She  was  the  daughter  of  a  millionaire,  the  daughter, 
morever,  of  a  man  who  probably  entertained  towards  him  the 
bitterest  animosity,  but  nevertheless  he  was  determined  to  try, 
nay  to  win.  He  knew  that  he  possessed  the  love  of  this  rare, 
beautiful  and  fearless  girl— everything  else  shrank  into  insig- 
nificance. 

The  next  morning's    papers  brought  a    sensational,  but 
necessarily    garbled   account    of    the   occurrence.     The  high 
position  of  the  actors  in  the  tragedy  impelled  a  delicacy  but  too 
often  disregarded  by  the  press.  The  accounts  differed  greatly, 
being  in  fact,  based  upon   the    imagination    of  the  reporters, 
rather   than    their    knowledge.     Mrs.    Cheatham    had    only 
volunteered  the  information  that  the    shooting  was  accidental 
as  far  as  she  knew,  and  that  it  had  occurred  in   presence  of  a 
stranger,  of  whose  name  she  was  ignorant.     The  condition  of 
the  Senator  put  the  possibility  of  interviewing  him  out  of  the 
question.     So   the   papers    substituted    their    respective    air 
castles  for  the  truth.      One  expressed  its   conviction  that  the 
stranger    was  a   political   desperado,    who  had   entered    the 
Senator's    room    with    the   view    of  killing   him.      Another 
believed  him  to  have  had  designs  upon  Mr.  Cheatham's  purse, 
and  only  been  baffled  by  Miss  Cheatham's  timely  appearance. 
Not  one  of  them  attempted   to  explain    the  curious   circum- 
stance, that  all  the  firing  had  been  done  by  the  statesman  and 
that  the    would-be    assassin  or   robber   had    been  allowed  to 
withdraw  unmolested.     The  public  noticed   this  incongruity, 
and  the  wildest  speculations  and  most  absurd  reports  filled  the 
city  for  fully  a  week,  then  to    subside  and  make  way  for  new 
and   equally    startling   sensations.      We  also  will  dismiss  the 
subject,  after  starting,  that  the   right  eye    of  the  Senator  was 
totally  ruined,  requiring  an  artificial  one  to  hide  the  vacancy, 
while  the  broken  bone  rather  disfigured  his  face.     The  vision 
of  the  left  eye  was    not    seriously    disturbed,  but  the  surgeon 
had  urged  the  necessity  of  great    caution,  fearing   that  a  con- 


348  EITHER,  OR. 

tinned  strain  upon  it  might  end  in  its  total  loss.  They 
advised  Mr.  Cheatham  to  resign  his  place  in  Congress,  hinting 
at  the  near  expiration  of  his  term,  and  the  absolute  impossi- 
bility of  his  return  to  Patropolis  that  winter.  We  need 
hardly  add  that  he  chafed  long  and  angrily,  but  finally  yielded 
to  an  inevitable  necessity  and  actually  offered  his  resignation. 
His  wound  chained  him  to  his  room  till  April,  and  when  he 
reappeared  in  public  he  looked  like  a  stricken  man,  exciting 
the  sympathy  of  a  few,  and  the  compassion  of  many. 

Blanche's  recovery  on  the  other  hand  was  more  rapid.  It 
was  aided  by  a  strong  and  vigorous  constitution,  but  as  much, 
or  more,  by  the  buoyancy  of  her  mind,  caused  no  doubt  by  the 
consciousness  of  possessing  the  love  of  the  man  who  had  so 
strangel}'  and  completely  become  the  center  around  which 
her  thoughts,  hopes  and  feelings  revolved.  The  day  after 
the  accident  a  carriage  stopped  before  the  mansion,  and 
cards  were  handed  to  Mrs.  Cheatham  bearing  the  names  of 
Laura  Kean  and  Mrs.  Lucius  Maxwell.  As  Mrs.  Cheatham 
was  well  acquainted  with  Maxwell  she  accepted  the 
visitors  and  met  them  with  icy  coldness,  so  long  observed 
by  the  world  as  to  no  longer  attract  attention  or  occasion  re- 
marks. When,  however,  the  ladies  disclosed  their  relation- 
ship to  Richard,  giving  his  true  name  and  hinting  at  his  con- 
nection with  the  tragedy,  she  warmed  a  little,  saying  frankly, 
that  she  was  glad  to  make  their  acquaintance,  and  granting 
cordially  a  daily  repetition  of  the  visits  to  learn  the  particulars 
of  Miss  Cheatham's  convalescence.  A  week  later  they  were 
even  admitted  into  the  sick  room  and  when  Blanche  learned 
who  the}'  were,  a  faint  color  came  into  her  face,  and  she 
looked  so  eagerly  for  the  appearance  of  the  visitors  that  Mrs. 
Cheatham  became  uneasy,  when  the  usual  hour  came  without 
bringing  them.  An  intimacy  soon  sprang  up  between 
Blanche  and  Elinor,  and  when  the  former  was  well  enough  to 
drive  out,  she  visited  their  new  friends,  (the  Maxwell's  living 
for  the  present  with  their  relatives).  At  first  Richard  ab- 
sented himself  on  such  occasions,  fearing  to  excite  the  con- 
valescent, but  when  his  aunt  told  him  with  an  assuring  smile, 


EITHER,  OR.  349 

that  his  diety  could  now  probably  endure  his  sight  without 
melting  away,  he  ventured  in.  Blanche  was  sitting  on  a  tete- 
a-tete  with  Elinor.  When  she  saw  him  a  faint  flush  colored 
her  face,  and  as  he  hastened  towards  her,  she  rose  to  meet  him. 
"Miss  Cheatham,"  he  exclaimed,  extending  his  hand  in  greet- 
ing, "I  come  to  thank  you  for  the  generous  way  in  which  you 
protected  me.     I — " 

"Miss  Cheatham?"  she  interrupted  him,  a  roguish  smile 
playing  around  her  lips,  "It  is,  or  should  at  least  be,  Cousin 
Blanche.  Are  you  not  aware,  or  do  you  wish  to  ignore  that 
our  grandfathers  were  brothers?" 

"That  is  a  fact,  although  there  are  persons  unwilling  to 
acknowledge  our  claim  to  such  relationship." 

"I  am  not  one  of  them,  Richard,  for  they  tell  me  that  you 
bear  that  name.  But  sit  down  and  tell  me  that  you  are  glad 
to  see  me.  Gratitude,  you  know,  is  nice  enough  amongst 
strangers,  but  it  is  not  your  gratitude  I  am  after,  but  a  cousin's 
affection.     Say,  Richard,  can  you  just  like  me  a  little?" 

"Nay,  Blanche,  I  cannot  like  you  a  little,  for  I  love  you 
with  all  my  heart,  with  all  the  ardor  of  my  nature,  with  every 
fibre  of  my  being." 

He  had  taken  both  her  hands  and  looked  with  a  deep 
yearning  into  her  beautiful  eyes. 

"That's  more  like  it,"  she  said,  the  smile  deepening  on 
her  face.  "But  dearest,  you  tell  me  nothing  new.  I  knew 
you  loved  me  from  the  moment  you  bent  over  me  and  gazed 
into  my  very  soul.  Nor  need  I  tell  you  that  I  love  you  better 
than  my  life,  have  loved  you  from  the  moment  I  saw  you." 

"Yes  darling,  I  know,"  he  said,  drawing  her  into  his  arms 
and  holding  her  as  if  he  would  never  let  her  go,  "and  this 
knowledge  makes  me  both  proud  and  inexpressibly  happy." 

"And  yet  you  tried  to  run  away  from  me,  you  bad  boy" 
she  said  tenderly,  stroking  his  hair  from  his  brow.  "Ah,  you 
need  not  deny,  for  we  have  kindred  spirits,  and  I  anticipate 
your  feelings  before  their  birth.  I  know  that  you  have  warred 
with  your  affection,  that  you  have  tried  to  tear  my  image  from 


350  EITHER,  OR. 

your  heart,  and  to  persuade  yourself  into  the  conviction  that 
you  ought  to  shun  me  like  a  siren." 

"If  you  are  not  a  siren,  you  surely  are  a  witch,  Blanche. 
It  is  true,  I  have  battled  with  myself  to  tear  you  from  my 
heart,  because  I  believed  that  a  man  who,  like  myself,  has 
devoted  his  life  to  his  brethren,  had  no  right  to  erect  an  idol 
in  his  heart.     Besides,  your  father  was  a  bitter  foe  to — " 

She  gently  laid  her  hand  upon  his  lips,  saying  :  "L,et  the 
feud  rest,  Richard.  You  and  I  are  destined  to  heal  the 
breach  which  hatred,  envy  and  jealousy  caused.  I  know  what 
you  would  say,  and  bowing  my  head  in  humility  acknowledge 
that  the  fault  lies  with  the  man  to  whom  I  owe  my  being. 
Eet  me  attonefor  his  misdeeds,  Richard." 

"Say  nothing  more  dearest.      You  conquered  long  ago." 

"I  know"  she  said  with  a  beautiful  smile.  "Ah,  I  know 
my  power,  Richard,  and  promise  to  keep  you  in  adamant 
chains,  as  long  as  there  is  breath  in  my  body.  Yes,  your  com- 
plete surrender  disarms  my  wrath,  although  I  ought  to  scold 
you  for  your  little  faith.  I  think  I  know  pretty  nearly  your 
plan  and  aspirations,  but  you  foolish  boy  though,  that  one  is 
stronger  than  two,  forgetting  that  a  woman  can  also  rise  to 
the  lofty  height  of  enthusiastic  philanthrophy,  and  aid  the 
man  she  loves  instead  of  checking  and  encumbering  him," 

He  looked  at  her  with  proud  exultation.  "You  must  not 
blame  me,  dearest,  for  you  are  a  new  and  sudden  revelation, 
and  such  women  as  you  are  rare." 

"Not  rarer  than  such  men  as  my  beloved.  I  gauged  you 
from  the  start,  Richard,  and  gauged  you  correctly,  or  do  you 
think  Blanche  Cheatham  would  have  enshringed  you  in  her 
heart  if  it  had  been  otherwise?  She  is  proud,  if  she  is  frank, 
and  no  low  prey  would  have  satisfied  her  ambition." 

"I  am  your  prey,  then?"  he  inquired  with  a  happy  laugh, 
drawing  her  again  into  a  fervent  embrace  and  kissing  her 
repeatedly. 

"You  are  my  own,  dear,  that  is  the  main  point"  she  said 
slyly,  returning  his  caresses. 

"But,  dearest,"    he  cried,  a  sudden  recollection   coming 


EITHER,  OR.  351 

into  his  miud,  "what  about  your  parents?  Will  the  proud 
Senator  consent  to  a  marriage  of  his  daughter  to  a  plebian?  " 

A  troubled  look  came  into  her  face,  and  she  said,  sadly : 
"Richard,  I  have  no  father  as  to  matters  of  such  moment.  He 
has  no  heart  for  the  true  welfare  of  his  children,  and  I  cannot 
allow  him  to  have  a  voice  in  the  selection  of  my  husband." 

"And  if  he  refuses  his  consent." 

"I  can  do  without  it.  The  matter  lies  different  with  m}- 
mother.  She  loves  me  dearly  and  a  noble  heart  lies  under 
the  icy  surface  she  shows  to  the  world.  She  knows  I  love  you 
and  is  ready  to  give  me  her  blessing." 

Thus  the  two  went  on,  forgetting  the  outer  world,  for- 
getting time  and  circumstances,  until  at  last  a  gentle  knock  at 
the  door  recalled  them  to  their  senses.  It  wras  Elinor  peeping 
through  the  door;  kind  Elinor,  who  had  wisely  vanished, 
when  she  saw  the  vortex  approaching,  knowing  that  it  is 
awkward  for  a  third  party  to  be  engulfed.  She  now  asked 
for  the  privilege  of  being  the  first  to  offer  her  congratulations, 
intimating  that  there  were  other  parties  desirous  of  imitating 
her  example.  Instead  of  replying,  Blanche  flew  into  her  arms 
and  smothered  with  kisses  the  warm  wishes  for  her  happiness. 
Then  Maxwell  stuck  his  head  through  the  door,  asking  slyly 
whether  it  was  his  turn  next,  but  receiving  the  stern  rebuke 
that  ladies  always  come  first.  So  Mrs.  Maxwell  handed  the 
happy  girl  over  to  Mrs.  Kean,  who  caressed  her  with  truly 
motherly  affection,  while  Maxwell  had  to  content  himself  with 
shaking  first  Richard's  and  then  Blanche's  hand,  declaring  that 
he  was  mighty  glad  to  see  this  uncompromising  benedict  put  in- 
to the  matrimonial  yoke.  Then  the  servant  announced  dinner 
to  be  ready,  and  Elinor  triumphantly  carried  off  her  friend^ 
disregarding  all  her  protestations,  that  she  must  go,  as  mamma 
would  be  uneasy  as  to  her  protracted  absence.  Happy  j^outh! 
Thrice  happy  because  they  have  found  mates  whose  hearts 
beat  in  unison,  and  whose  character  warrants  the  conviction, 
that  their  affection  will  net  die  like  the  fire  fed  by  straw,  a  fire 
marked  by  the  intensity  of  its  heat,  but  also  by  the  shortness 
of  its  duration. 


352  EITHER,  OR. 

CHAPTER  XX. 

AURORA,    THE    HERALD    OF    DAY. 

Richard  foresaw  that  the  occurrence  at  the  Cheatham 
mansion  would  make  an  attempt  of  preserving  his  incognito 
much  longer  abortive.  He.  for  whom  it  had  been  chiefly 
assumed,  had  seen  behind  the  curtain.  True,  the  re-adoption  of 
his  real  name  would  deprive  him  of  that  nimbus,  which  the 
poverty  of  the  tinker  had  woven  around  his  head,  but  the 
character  of  our  friend  had  been  too  firmly  established  by  this 
time  to  be  shaken  by  such  a  revelation,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
fact  that  his  treasures  were  fast  taking  wings,  and  promised 
an  early  disappearance.  A  constant  drainage  without  a  new 
influx  must  exhaust  any  purse,  and  such  a  drainage  had 
been  not  only  steady  but  on  a  large  scale.  The  purchase  or 
building  of  headquarters,  and  the  manufactory  of  rifles  had 
taken  millions,  reducing  his  fund  from  eighteen  millions  to 
six.  Fortunately  the  demand  for  money  in  that  direction  had 
ceased,  as  Richard  felt  sure,  that  new  demands  would  spring 
up  at  the  hour  of  crisis,  and  was  determined  to  use  the 
strictest  economy  on  that  account.  Before  reassuming  the 
name  of  Woods,  he  drew  all  his  money  from  the  banks,  and 
then  redeposited  it  in  his  real  name.  He  was  too  well  aware 
of  the  finesse  of  these  fmanceers,  and  therefore  used  all  pre- 
caution in  his  power  to  foil  an  attempt  to  cripple  him  by 
crippling  his  resources.  The  bank  officials  looked  blank, 
when  he  thus  shed  his  name  as  the  butterfly  its  chrysalis,  but 
as  Richard  had  said  on  a  former  occasion,  wealth  justifies  as 
mere  freaks  and  caprices  many  a  thing  which  the  world  would 
find  unpardonable  in  a  poor  devil.  So  these  officers  merely 
smiled  and  bowed  to  Mr.  Wood  as  radically  as  they  had  bowed 
to  Mr.  Velder.  Our  friend  now  saw  the  wisdom  of  drawing 
the  advance  payments  for  his  telephone,  heavy  though  the 
discount  had  been,  for  he  heard  at  more  than  one  place  the 
words  of  surprise  couple  with  the  declaration  that  they  would 
have  tested  the  legality  of  his  title  to   the  patent  under  the 


EITHER,  OR.  353 

circumstances.  Spring  approached  and  passed,  and  Con- 
gress adjourned  without  the  introduction  of  the  military 
bill. 

This  was  partly  due  to  Cheatham's  mishap,  but  partly 
also  to  the  strong  protest  of  a  small  but  powerful  branch  of 
the  press,  The  Sentinel,  which  had  grown  from  a  little  penny 
paper  into  one  of  the  largest  and  most  influential  journals  of  the 
land,  had  denounced  the  scheme  in  severe  terms.    It  had  said: 

"This  bill  is  not  only  nefarious,  but  absolutely  suicidal. 
Its  author  claims  that  we  can  no  longer  trust  the  militia,  that 
is,  the  strength  and  sinew  of  the  land,  to  maintain  order.  If 
this  be  really  true;  if  the  flower  of  the  country  is  ready  to 
betray  its  vital  interests,  then  let  us  shut  up  shop,  and  emi- 
grate to  the  Esquimaux  or  to  the  savages  of  Africa.  But  it  is 
not  true.  These  militia  men  are  the  very  strength  and 
support  of  our  free  institutions.  Would  you  entrust  their 
keeping  to  capital?  You  might  as  well  entrust  the  care  of 
the  sheep  fold  to  the  wolves  or  that  of  the  garden  to  the  goats. 
No,  it  is  the  maintenance  of  a  large  and  standing  arm}',  which 
is  inimical  and  ruinous  to  free  institutions.  A  hundred 
thousand  men!  Senator  Cheatham  must  be  either  demented 
or  bent  upon  mischief.  Such  an  army  wants  employment, 
and  ambitious  men  will  take  care  to  give  it  work.  A  Napo- 
lean,  a  Caesar,  is  always  dangerous,  but  put  them  at  the  head 
of  mercenary  legions,  and  you  give  them  both  the  opportun- 
ity and  power  to  carrv  out  the  schemes  of  their  ambitious  and 
mischievous  brain.  Mercenary;  that  is  the  proper  term.  So 
antagonistic  is  the  maintenance  of  a  standing  army  to  our 
free  institutions  that  you  can  only  get  the  refuse  of  this  and 
other  countries  to  enlist  in  its  ranks.  A  hundred  thousand 
men !  Better  say  a  hundred  thousand  libertines  let  loose 
upon  a  defenseless  people. 

Richard  breathed  more  freely  when  Congress  adjourned 
sine  die.  Before  it  would  assemble  again  the  first  streaks  of  a 
new  day  would  color  the  sky. 

At  the  break  of  spring  Bertha  confided  to  the  ladies  of 
the  front  mansion  the  anticipated  news  that  she  had  accepted" 


554  HITHER.  OR. 

the  General's  wooing,  and  that  the  first  day  of  April  had  been 
set  for  the  nuptials.  She  blushed  very  prettily  at  this  an- 
nouncement, causing  Elinor  to  declare  with  a  warm  embrace 
of  her  young  friend  that  she  was  sweet  and  pretty  enough  for 
a  prince.  The  General  was  now  a  frequent  visitor  to  the 
home  of  her  friends,  thus  gaining  not  only  a  deeper  insight, 
but  a  more  perfect  appreciation  of  Richard's  character  as  well 
as  teachings.  At  first  he  had  shared  Maxwell's  scruples,  but 
long  before  the  arrival  of  his  wedding  day,  he  had  embraced 
the  same  views,  though  perhaps  in  a  milder  form.  Nor  had 
Maxwell  stayed  behind,  although  the  latter  declared  on  more 
than  one  occasion  that  both  he  and  Run  well  had  not  been 
converted  by  the  depth  of  Richard's  arguments,  but  by  the 
wiles  of  two  sirens,  at  which  the  two  ladies  bristled  up  so  in- 
dignantly that  the  defamer  had  to  beat  a  hasty  retreat.  Well, 
the  wedding  went  off  without  any  mishap,  to  the  great  satis- 
faction of  the  friends  of  the  contracting  parties,  but  to  no 
one's  greater  joy  and  pride  than  the  old  Professor's,  who  de- 
clared that  his  niece's  happiness  made  him  young  once  more, 
and  that  he  expected  to  dance  at  the  wedding  of  his  prospect- 
ive grand  children. 

A  few  weeks  later  Richard  received  a  short  note  from  the 
Del  Polino  Club  House,  informing  him  that  a  sick  person 
living  there  wished  to  see  him.  Our  friend  wondered 
a  little,  but  his  kindness  of  heart  kept  him  from 
asking  questions.  An  hour  after  the  reception  of  the 
missive  he  ascended  the  stairway  to  the  second  floor,  and  in- 
quired for  Antoinette,  as  she  had  penned  and  signed  the  note. 
She  appeared  at  once,  looking  much  older  and  rather  sad. 

"Ah,  mille  mercis,  one  thousand  thanks,  Monsieur,"  she 
said  with  that  pomposity  so  natural  to  many  of  her  people. 
"Vous  venez  voir,  Monsieur  Cyre.  Le  pauvre  gargon  !  Ah, 
he  vill  hardly  live  to  see  the  night." 

"What !  You  do  not  mean  to  insinuate  that  Cyrus 
Cheatham  is  here  and  dying?  " 

"Mais  oui,  Monsieur,  I  mean  that  very  thing." 


EITHER,  OR.  355 

"And  don't  his  people  know?  Haven't  you  informed 
them  ? " 

"Oui,  Monsieur,  his  mothaire  and  his  sistaire  are  vid 
him." 

"And  his  father?" 

"Refuses  to  see  him.  Ah,  Monsieur  le  senateur  is  one 
bad  man." 

"Well,  lead  me  to  him." 

She  started,  taking  the  elevator  and  leading  him  to  No. 
27  in  the  very  room  which  had  been  the  scene  of  one  of 
Cyrus'  rascalities.  When  he  entered,  he  found  both  Mrs. 
Cheatham  and  Blanche  there,  both  with  tear  stained  eyes,  but 
calmer  than  Richard  had  anticipated.  Little  did  he  know  of 
the  heart  aches  which  this  dying  rouge  had  caused  both  his 
mother  and  sister,  killing  inch  by  inch  the  affection  they  had 
once  born  him.  True,  a  mother's  heart  never  loses  its  affec- 
tion for  her  offspring,  but  it  can  be  and  often  is  tinged  with 
gloom  and  despair.  It  was  probably  more  the  unexpected 
return  and  prospective  death  of  this  prodigal  son,  than  any- 
thing else  which  now  caused  their  tears  to  flow. 

When  Richard  stepped  to  the  bed,  the  patient's  face 
showed  signs  of  recognition.  He  beckoned  him  to  stoop  down 
then  said:     "V.  Woods,  where  is  Elinor?*' 

"Why  do  you  ask  ?  " 

"I  want  to  ask  her  forgiveness,  and  redress  the  wrong 
done  her  as  far  as  lies  in  my  power." 

"Elinor  is  happily  married." 

"And  is  really  happy?  " 

"Undoubtedly." 

"And  you  think  it  would  revive  old  trouble,  to  bring  her 
here  ?  " 

"I  do  not  know,  but  fear  it  might." 

"Then  do  not  bring  her.  I  would  like  to  ask  her  pardon 
but  not  at  the  expense  of  her  peace.  Will  you  tell  her  some 
day  that  the  memory  of  the  deep  injury  to  her  is  now  the 
bitterest  drop  in  my  cup?  Oh!  I  would  give  all  the  world,  if  by 
doing  so,  I  could  blot  out  this  spot." 


356  EITHER,  OR. 

"I  will  tell  her,  Cheatham,  indeed  I  will.  In  fact,  if  her 
presence  will  soothe  and  comfort  you,  I'll  bring  her  here." 

The  dying  man  shook  his  head.  "Her  peace  before 
mine,''  he  whispered.  i:You  say  she  is  happy;  that  is  enough. 
Say  Woods,  I  wronged  you,  too.  Will  you  forgive  me  and 
shake  hands?" 

"I  will,  with  all  my  heart,  old  fellow,"  Richard  cried,  tak- 
ing the  wasted  hand  lying  on  the  bed  and  giving  it  a  gentle 
pressure.  Then  turning  to  Blanche,  he  asked  :  "Did  you  tell 
him?  " 

"Not  yet,  we  have  only  been  here  a  few  minutes.  Tell 
him  yourself.     He  may  be  pleased." 

Richard  again  turned  to  the  patient,  whose  hand  still 
rested  in  his. 

"Cheatham,"  he  said  gently,  almost  tenderly,  "your  sister 
Blanche  has  promised  to  be  my  wife.  Tell  me  that  her  choice 
meets  with  your  approbation.'' 

Cheatham's  face  lit  up.  "Is  it  true?"  he  asked,  turning 
to  his  sister.  When  she  nodded,  he  said,  with  a  sigh  of  relief: 
"I  am  glad,  so  glad.  Blanche,  he  is  good  and  pure  and  you — 
3rou  will  repay  him  for  the  injury  your  brother  has  done  to 
him  and  his?'' 

"I  will,  Cy,  I  will,  to  the  best  of  my  ability." 

"Thank  you.  Can't  you  make  a  little  more  light?  I 
want  to  see  you  all  once  more,  before  I  leave  you.  Mother — 
sister — farewell ! " 

He  closed  his  eyes,  and  a  few  minutes  later  breathed  his 
last.  We  will  not  molest  the  reader  with  his  funeral,  and 
have,  indeed,  only  drawn  this  death  scene  to  show  you  how 
the  chain  which  bound  Senator  Cheatham  to  life  and  its  en- 
joyments snapped  link  by  link  until  he  remained  alone,  a 
blasted  oak,  a  gilded  oak,  it  is  true,  but  only  a  blasted  one 
after  all. 

When  Blanche  informed  her  father  of  her  betrothal  to 
Richard  Woods,  he  said,  sneeringly:  "Thanks  for  the  news. 
Has  the  wedding  day  been  set?" 


EITHER.  OR.  357 

"It  has  not.  We  are  not  in  a  hurry  and  wish  to  consult 
your  wishes  and  mother's." 

"That  was  considerate.  I  expected  that  you  had  it  all  cut 
and  dried,  and  were  about  to  hand  me  aii  invitation  to  the 
wedding." 

"You  are  sarcastic  father,  and  unjustly  so.  I  am  no  child 
and  consider  it  my  right  to  consult  my  own  inclination  in 
such  an  important  matter.  I  have  mother's  sanction,  and 
trust  that  you  also  will  not  oppose  my  wishes." 

"A  timely  wish.  I  wonder  that  you  did  not  delay  its 
utterance  until  after  the  wedding." 

"Father  your  consent  would  please  me,  but  your  refusal 
would  not  change  my  resolution.'" 

"So  you  disregard  my.authority  ?  " 

"If  it  conflicts  with  reason  and  equity,  yes.  My  past  ex- 
perience has  taught  me  to  be  distrustful  to  your  measures  for 
my  welfare." 

"Enough,"  cried  the  irate  man,  "I  have  heard  as  much 
impudence  as  I  can  bear,  and  now  tell  you  once  for  all,  if  you 
marry  this  demagogue,  this  enemy  of  mine,  I'll  expel  you  from 
my  house,  and  cut  you  off  with  a  shilling.     Go?  " 

She  rose  calmly  to  leave  the  room.  She  felt  deeply  and 
bitterly  that  she  did  no  longer  respect  and  love  her  father. 
She  regretted  that  his  unfairness  and  tyranny  compelled  her 
to  disregard  his  wishes  in  so  vital  a  matter,  but  while  she  was 
determined  to  follow  the  dictates  of  her  heart  and  conscience, 
she  was  pained  at  this  necessity.  She  sought  her  mother  and 
communicated  to  her  the  scene  we  have  just  reported.  Mrs. 
Cheatham's  face  became  even  paler  than  usual,  and  she 
moaned  deeply  as  she  drew  her  child  into  her  embrace. 

"I  have  said  all  on  this  subject  I  have  to  say,  dear"  she 
said.  "What  could  I  add  to  the  terrible  words  you  were  com- 
pelled to  read  ?  If  you  decide  to  leave  your  paternal  roof  you 
will  take  my  blessing  on  your  way.  I  cannot  leave,  Blanche,  my 
chains  are  too  well  forged,  and  it  surpasses  my  strength  to 
break  them,  so  I  shall  stay  at  my  post  until  a  merciful  death 
releases  me  ?     With  you  it  is  different.      You  are  young,  have 


358  EITHER.OR. 

life  before  you,  and  above  all  the  affection  of  a  noble  man.  I 
do  not  say  'go  ! '  for  I  do  not  wish  to  drive  you  off,  and  my 
heart  will  bleed  when  you  go,  if  it  really  contains  enough 
vitality  for  such  an  effusion,  but  if  you  go,  you  will  take  with 
you  tny  best  wishes  for  your  happiness."  Blanche  returned  her 
carresses,  then  left  the  room.  Alas,  she  had  learned  to  under- 
stand and  commiserate  her  wretched  mother.  That  same 
afternoon  she  met  Richard  and  informed  him  of  her  father's 
threats  and  her  determination  to  disregard  it. 

"I  have  my  grandmother's  jewels,"  she  said,  "their  sale 
will  yield  a  sum  sufficient  for  my  humble  wants." 

"You  are  the  only  jewel  I  care  about,"  he  cried.  "Leave 
all  his  wealth  behind  and  then  come.  The  sooner  you  bless 
me  with  your  presence,  the  better." 

"I  have  thought  it  would  be  well  to  come  to  you  if  he 
drives  me  off,  and  in  such  a  case — " 

"We  shall  tie  the  knot  which  make  us  one  for  life." 

"Be  it  to-morrow.     It  can  never  come  too    soon  for  me." 

And  it  came  sooner  than  they  both  anticipated.  The 
Senator  had  been  pondering  upon  what  he  considered  and 
openly  denounced  as  his  daughter's  imprudence.  He  com- 
plained to  himself  that  he  had  spoiled  her,  had  humored  her 
every  wish.  He  blamed  this  foolish  indulgence  for  her 
present  independence  and  stubborn  opposition  to  his  orders 
as  well  as  his  wishes. 

"I  must  change  my  tactics"  he  grumbled  to  himself,  and 
ringing  the  bell,  ordered  the  servant  to  inform  Miss  Cheat- 
ham that  he  desired  her  presence  in  his  room.  This  was  on 
the  eve  of  the  day  which  witnessed  the  conversation  recorded. 
The  servant  returned,  telling  him  that  Miss  Blanche  was 
absent  and  would  probably  not  return  before  nine  or  ten.  The 
Senator's  brow  darkened.  "I'll  wager  anything  she  is  with 
the  accused  fellow"  he  growled  when  the  servant  had  retired. 
"Well,  this  must  be  settled  at  once.  If  she  yields,  all  right ;  if 
not,  I'll  drive  her  from  my  house  and  my  heart  at  the  same 
time." 

So  it  occurred  that  Blanche  made  her  appearance   at  the 


EITHER.  OR.  359 

house  of  our  friends  the  very  next  morning.  She  found  them 
assembled  in  the  sitting  room  discussing  some  domestic  mat- 
ters concerning  chiefly  Maxwell  and  Elinor.  Richard  sprang 
up  to  meet  and  greet  the  girl,  but  discovered  something  so 
unusual  in  her  mien,  that  he  asked  abruptly.  "Well  little  one, 
what  is  it.     Can  I  do  anything  particular  for  you?" 

"Yes  Richard,"  she  replied  simply  and  unaffectedly. 
"You  can  give  me   a  place    in  your   house  as  well  as  in 
your  heart,  for  my  father  has  driven  me  off." 
"The—" 

She  laid  her  fingers  on  his  lips,  saying,  "hush,  forget  him, 
as  I  shall  forget  him." 

They  all  crowded  around  her  now,  and  everyone  sug- 
gested a  plan.  Maxwell  listened  a  moment  to  the  different 
suggestions,  then  said:  "I  know  what  we  can  do,  must  do, 
and  will  do.  George,  hand  me  my  hat,  my  boy.  Thank  you, 
thank  you.  Now  friends  you  stay  here  until  I  shall  be  back, 
I  wont  be  gone  long." 

"What  are  you  going  to  do  Lucius?  You  must  tell  me 
dear." 

"Why,  can't  you  guess?  I  am  going  for  the  twine  that 
makes  two,  one,  and  for  the  sailor  that  does  the  splicing." 

"That's  a  good  boy,"  Elinor  cried  gleefully.  "Isn't  he 
clever  though?  Well,  why  don't  you  go?  Don't  }'ou  see  we 
are  in  a  hurry?  " 

"Hurry  or  no  hurry.  I  am  going  to  steal  a  kiss  first.  You 
had  better  hold  still,  for  if  you  struggle,  you  keep  me  back. 
So  that's  a  good  girl." 

When  he  had  gone  Mrs.  Kean  said:  "Now,  children,  we 
must  make  some  preparations  to  discharge  our  duties  to  these 
dear  ones  with  propriety.  Elinor,  will  you  please  run  and 
tell  Marie  to  dust  the  parlor?  Now  Blanche,  dear,  let  me 
have  a  look  at  you.  You  look  awful  plain  in  this  muslin 
dress.  Won't  you  put  on  one  of  Elinor's  silk  ones.  She  has 
that  white  satin  you  know,  and  I  think  it  would  just  fit  you." 
"No,  aunty,  dear,  leave  her  in  her  muslin.  The  plainer 
she  is  dressed,  the  more  conspicious  her  loveliness  will  be." 


360  EITHER,  OR. 

"There  is  taffy  for  you,  my  dear.  Well,  have  it  your  own 
way.  But  as  far  as  you  are  concerned,  sir,  I'll  exercise  my 
authority  until  this  dear  creature  takes  the  reins  in  hand. 
You  go  instanter — isn't  that  what  the  judges  say  when  they 
want  to  impress  the  culprit? — and  put  on  a  suit  of  black  broad- 
cloth. There  is  a  good  boy.  Hurry,  though,  for  I  wager  that 
fellow  Maxwell  will  gobble  the  first  preacher  he  can  lay 
hands  on." 

Half  an  hour  later  Richard  reappeared  and  looked  so 
stately  and  handsome  in  his  black  suit  that  a  feeling  of  pride 
and  great  joy  thrilled  the  heart  of  Blanche.  A  little  later 
Maxwell  stepped  in  the  room,  saying:  "Well,  I  caught  a  rev- 
erend. He  is  in  the  parlor,  so  get  your  faces  into  the  proper 
solemnity,  and  then  come  on." 

Taking  Richard  a  little  aside,  he  added  :  "Dick,  he  isn't 
of  the  true  orthodox  sort,  but  a  liberal.  I  was  in  a  hurry,  you 
know,  and  had  to  take  what  I  could  find." 

Blanche  had  crept  mischievously  behind  them,  and  over- 
heard his  words. 

"Don't  you  know, that  whispering  is  impolite?"  she  asked 
archly.  "For  a  punishment  I  ought  to  send  you  off  for  the 
genuine  article,  but  I  will  be  magnanimous  and  confess,  that 
a  liberal  suits  me  just  as  well.  In  fact,  I  would  have  been 
satisfied  with  a  justice." 

Maxwell  raised  his  hands  in  pretended  horror.  "But  the 
solemnity  of  the  hour  and  ceremony,"  he  exclaimed,  "lies 
in  our  hearts,  not  in  the  dress  we  wear,  nor  the  mouth  which 
unites  us." 

"Right,  my  darling,"  cried  Richard,  kissing  her  with  fer- 
vor, while  Maxwell  said  with  resignation  :  "Well  matched. 
A  radical  agitator  and  a  radical  heretic.  Well,  it  can't  be 
helped,  I  suppose,  and  as  the  gentleman  in  the  parlor  is  wait- 
ing, we  had  better  join  him.  Elinor,  come  dear,  let  us  show 
them  the  way." 

So  they  all  went  into  the  room  where  the  minister,  an 
elderly  man  with  an  intelligent  face,  tied  the  knot  which 
joined  their  hands  and  lives,  the  bond  of  their  hearts  and  souls 


EITHER,  OR.  36  1 

having  been  contracted  long  since.  There  were  warm  con- 
gratulations, of  course,  and  kissing  all  around.  Then  dinne  r 
was  announced,  and  a  very  happy  company  sat  down  to  en- 
joy it. 

"Now,  my  friends,"  said  Maxwell  in  the  course  of  con- 
versation, the  question  arises:  "Where  shall  we  put  this 
couple?  Elinor  and  I  have  the  best  rooms,  and  are  going  to 
keep  them,  so — " 

"Listen  to  the  man,"  Elinor  exclaimed.  "There  is  the 
true  aristocrat  for  you  ;  selfish  to  the  core,'' 

"  Madam,  I  have  the  floor,  if  you  please."  said  her  hus- 
band gravely.  "If  you  ask  this  lucky  groom  here,  he  will  tell 
you  that  our  aristocracy  is  the  main  prop  of  our  count  ry  and 
its  free  institutions,  and  that  selfishness  or  egotism,  as  the 
people  in  the  West  call  it,  is  a  necessary  and  conservative 
virtue.  Having  thus  proved  the  utter  groundlessness  of  your 
objection,  I  proceed.  The  good  rooms  of  the  mansion  being 
thus  engaged,  by  the  right  priority,  only  the  attic  and  the 
office  in  the  basement  remain.  The  former  is  occupied  by  two 
maidens  belonging  to  Richard's  patrons,  a  circumstance  bar- 
ring, of  course,  the  very  idea  of  dislodging  them.  We  are 
therefore  restricted  to  the  office,  and  will  be  considered  pru- 
dent in  the  eyes  of  all  well-meaning  people  for  selecting  it. 
It  would  be  different,  if  there  were  any  danger  of  hurting  the 
present  incumbent's  feelings,  but  as  he  is  nothing  but  numbers 
and  therefore  incapable  of  emotions,  the  last  possible  objec- 
tion falls  to  the  ground." 

This  sally  was  greeted  with  applause  and  laughter ;  but 
when  it  had  subsided,  Richard  exclaimed:  "I  have  an 
amendment  to  offer.  You  all  know,  that  the  fall  elections  are 
near  at  hand,  and  that  we  propose  to  strike  on  that  occasion 
the  first  blow  at  the  Moloch  of  the  day.  How  would  it  do, 
then,  for  this  little  girl  and  me  to  take  a  tour  over  the  land, 
and  fire  the  hearts  of  our  friends?" 

"  It  would  never  do,"  cried  Maxwell  with  comical  conster  - 
nation.  "If  you  take  this  little  girl  along,  the  judges  of 
election  will  afterwards  accuse  you  of  using  undue  influences , 


362  EITHER,  OR. 

and,  in   my  humble  opinion,  they  would  not  be  so  very  far 
from  the  mark,  either." 

Thus  they  chatted  and  laughed,  until  Marie  came  into  the 
room,  announcing  that  Mrs.  Cheatham  was  in  the  parlor,  and 
wished  to  see  them.  Blanche  flew  into  her  mother's  arms  and 
cried  :  "  Oh,  mother,  why  did  you  refuse  to  sanction  our  mar- 
riage by  your  presence?" 

Mrs.  Cheatham  smiled.  "Is  not  my  approval  all  the 
sanction  you  need?  I  come  to  tell  you  that  I  have  packed 
your  clothes  and  sent  them  by  John.  And  here  are  the  jewels 
of  my  mother  ;  they  are  yours  by  legacy,  you  know." 

"But,  Mrs.  Cheatham,-'  now  began  Richard,  who  had  fol- 
lowed his  wife.  "Won't  you  call  me  mother,  Richard?"  Mrs. 
Cheatham  inquired  with  a  yearning  look.  "You  know  I  lost 
one  son,  so  you  owe  me  another,  do  you  not?'' 

"You  make  me  proud  and  happy  by  granting  me  this 
privilege,"  Richard  cried,  taking  and  reverently  kissing  the 
lady's  hands.  "But,  as  to  these  jewels,  mother,  I  would 
rather — " 

"My  son,''  she  interrupted  him.  "Those  jewels  belong  to 
Blanche,  and  we  have  no  right,  if  we  had  the  wish,  to  keep 
them,  so  say  nothing  more  about  it,  And  now,  sit  down  and 
tell  me  what  you  propose  to  do.  I  cannot  invite  you  to 
my  house,  you  know,  but  no  power  on  earth  shall  prevent  me 
from  seeing  you  in  yours." 

"We  propose  to  travel  a  while,  mother." 
"Ah?     Well,  I   wish  you   abundant   bliss  and  happiness, 
and    the    company    of  all    good    spirits  to    guard  you    from 
harm." 

"When  do  you  propose  to  leave  ?" 
"Probably  to-morrow." 

"Then  I  may  as  well  say  good  bye,  now,  as  Mr.  Cheatham 
is  not  well  and  needs  my  attention."  She  embraced  and 
kissed  both  Blanche  and  Richard,  saying  to  the  latter  :  "Be 
good  to  her,  Richard,  she  deserves  it,  and  let  the  husband 
make  her  forget  that  she  lost  a  father." 

A  firm  pressure  of  the  hand  was  all  the  answer  he  gave, 


EITHER,OR.  363 

all  in  fact,  that  was  needed.  With  a  final  nod  she  glided 
quietly  from  the  room,  while  her  children  gazed  sadly  after 
her,  the  wreck  of  conventionalities  and  the  worship  of 
mammon." 

The  next  morning  saw  the  yonng  couple  off.  Their 
journey  was  really  a  triumphal  procession,  not  on  account  of 
its  pomp  and  pageantry,  but  on  account  of  the  grateful  hom- 
age which  thousands  ol  hearts  brought  to  the  virtues  of  the 
groom,  and  the  gentleness,  kindness  and  beaut}'  of  the  bride. 
In  L,akeopolis  they  were  received  with  open  arms  by  the 
Duncans.  There  they  rested  a  while,  meeting  at  the  same 
time  the  leaders  of  the  brotherhood  in  conclave,  Blanche  at- 
tending and  taking  as  deep  an  interest  in  the  movement  as 
her  husband.  When  he  asked  how  the  prospects  of  a  victory 
at  the  polls  looked  in  the  city,  the  president  smiled  signifi- 
cantly, saj'jng:     "It  will  be  a  clean  sweep,  Mr.  Woods." 

The  same  reply  was  given  at  other  places,  and  when  the 
young  couple  returned  to  Plutopolis,  late  in  October,  Richard 
was  not  hopeful,  but  confident. 

"The  beauty  of  the  thing  is,  that  the  old  parties  have  no 
suspicion  of  the  Waterloo  which  awaits  them.  You  know, 
Maxwell,  that  we  have  studiously  avoided  to  dabble  in  poli- 
tics thus  far,  and  while  the  wire  pullers  know  our  numerical 
strength,  they  have  no  idea  that  the  brotherhood  is  ready  to 
desert  from  their  ranks  in  a  body." 

"Have  no  nominations  been  made  ?" 

"In  every  instance." 

"And  have  they  not  leaked  out?  Such  a  secrecy  is  al- 
most incredible." 

"Well,  they  may  have  leaked  out,  they  probably  have, 
but  they  have  been  treated  like  so  many  idle  rumors,  receiv- 
ing no  credence  whatever." 

"And  have  all  the  members  been  duly  posted  ?" 

"Certainly.  The  Sentinel  has  been  busy  for  weeks 
printing  tickets  and  sending  them  to  the  various  lodges." 

"Isn't that  a  rather  complicated  movement?  Would  not 
the  local  printers  have  answered  as  well  ?" 


364  EITHER,  OR. 

"We  did  patronize  local  printers  who  are  members,  and 
can-  therefore  be  trusted." 

"And  when  will  the  election  come  off?" 

"Why,  don't  you  know?  Xext  Tuesday,  the  first  one  in 
November." 

"To  tell  the  truth,  Richard,  I  never  voted  in  my  life." 

"A  pardonable  negligence  under  the  present  system,  but 
a  criminal  negligence  after  the  break  of  a  new  and  glorious 
era." 

"Well,  I  hope  you  will  not  be  disappointed.  A  new  con- 
stitution does  not  make  all  at  once  a  perfect  set  of  men." 

"Of  course  it  don't,  but  it  paves  the  way  to  such  a 
state." 

"You  are  too  sanguine.  There  never  will  be  perfec- 
tion." 

"Of  course  there  will  not.  Who  would  wish  to  live,  if 
there  were?  Perfection  means  stagnation.  No,  Maxwell,  my 
watchword  is  'progress'  and  to  it  I  shall  adhere  while  I  have 
life." 

At  last  the  momentous  day  broke.  Nothing  distinguished 
it  from  other  days.  Nothing  showed  that  the  weal  or  woe  of 
many  millions  depended  upon  the  issue  of  the  experiment  to 
be  tried  in  its  confines.  It  was  a  sunny  day,  a  day  of  Indian 
summer,  so  mild,  so  genial,  and  yet  so  sad  on  account  of  the 
fall  of  leaves,  the  decay  of  flowers  and  the  approach  of  that 
icy  tyrant,  winter.  Richard  and  Maxwell  voted  early  and 
then  proceeded  to  National  Hall,  where  arrangements  for  the 
reception  of  telegraphic  news  had  been  perfected.  The  lead- 
ers of  the  Plutopolis  lodges  assembled  there,  but  only  they, 
for  the  masses  were  too  deepl}T  stirred  for  the  quiet,  ordinary 
routine  of  life.  Thev  swarmed  in  and  out  like  so  many  bees, 
only  carrying  the  honey  out  instead  of  in,  viz :  the  honey  of 
the  news,  for  it  was  all  honey,  without  even  one  drop  of 
wormwood. 

Twent}--five  of  the  fifty  States  of  the  Union  elected  Gov- 
ernors that  day,  all  of  them  Judges,  members  of  Congress  and 
of  the  State  Legislatures  and  other  officials.     At   noon    the 


EITHER,  OR.  365 

•wires  began  to  click,  at  first  merely  intimating  probabilites, 
then  strong  probabilities,  the  prospect  of  a  glorious  victory 
improving  with  every  telegram.  At  seven  in  the  evening  the 
•definite  results  began  to  be  announced.  Every  Governor 
had  been  elected  by  the  brotherhood.  They  had  made  a 
*  clean  sweep  of  all  the  Legislators,  members  of  Congress  and 
officials.  It  was  not  only  a  Waterloo  for  the  old  parties,  it 
was  a  complete  annihilation.  Not  even  a  groan  of  the  dying 
was  heard,  in  fact  a  deep,  an  almost  painful  silence  hung  over 
the  city,  over  the  whole  land.  The  result  took  the  breath 
of  even  the  victors,  choking  the  cheers  which  rose  in  their 
throats.  And  the  others?  They  were  awe  struck.  What 
could  it  all  mean  ?  Where  were  those  stalwart  followers  that 
had  in  former  days  carried  the  standard  so  proudly  to  victory  ? 
Whence  came  those  legions  that,  with  one  blow,  without  ap- 
parent effort  annihilated  associations  once  so  strong,  once  so 
formidable  and  so  feared?  Yes,  what  could  it  all  mean  ?  Did 
it  mean  anything,  and,  if  it  did,  was  this  something  bound  to 
make  itself  feltin  future  days?  Many  a  sorehead  asked  him- 
self that  question  as  he  retired  that  night,  not  to  sleep,  but  to 
roll  restlessly  upon  his  couch,  repeating  again  and  again  : 
"What  does  it  mean?     What  can  it  mean  ?" 

On  the  other  hand,  there  were  millions,  that  night,  who 
lay  down  joyfully,  their  breasts  expanding  with  a  proud  con- 
sciousness of  the  first  successful  blow  struck  in  the  name  of 
liberty,  of  equity,  of  justice  and  brotherhood,  struck  at  the 
brazen  limbs  of  the  Colossus  which  had  hitherto  held  the 
world  in  bondage,  but  which  now  shook  and  trembled  under 
this  first  vigorous  blow. 

Richard  and  his  friend  returned  late  that  night ;  but  when 
the  former  met  Blanche,  who  looked  unexpectedly  at  him,  he 
drew  her  into  his  arms  and  said:  "Blanche  dear,  the  time  is 
near  at  hand,  when  you  also  will  be  entitled  to  cast  your  vote 
for  liberty  and  progress." 


366  EITHER,  OR. 

CHAPTER    XXI. 

A    CONSPIRACY. 

The  next  morning  Richard  took  up  the  papers  with  con- 
siderable curiosity,  but  if  he  had  expected  to  find  commentar- 
ies on  yesterday's  battle  he  was  disappointed.  The  result  was 
given  in  dry  words  and  numbers,  but  even  the  most  conserva- 
tive paper  abstained  from  any  remarks.  It  was  evident  that 
the  wire  pullers  and  their  organs  had  not  revived  from  a  blow 
so  terrible  and  telling  as  to  make  the  renewal  of  the  struggle 
apparently  hopeless.  The  Sentinel  was  the  only  journal  which 
discussed  the  election  and  its  probable  tendencies.  To  Richard 
its  remarks  were  nothing  new,  as  he  had  inspired,  if  not  writ- 
ten them.  The  Sentinel  said:  "Yeni,  vidi,  vici.  With  Caesar 
we  have  come,  seen,  and  conquered.  We  have  not  only  de- 
feated our  adversaries,  we  have  wiped  them  out.  We  need  not 
crow  over  our  victory,  and  do  not  crow,  for  it  is  only  the 
weak  party  which  shouts  over  an  unexpected  victory.  Our 
victory  was  certain  before  we  went  into  battle,  for  our  party 
now  numbers  ten  million  voters,  that  is,  two  thirds  of  those 
in  the  Union.  We  have  selected  twenty-five  governors,  or  all 
in  the  field.  We  have  elected  every  member  of  the  lower  house 
of  Congress,  that  was  to  be  voted  on.  We  have-  elected  every 
member  of  State  Legislators  on  the  ticket,  to  say  nothing  of 
the  judges  and  other  officials.  If  we  are  equally  successful 
next  tail,  we  shall  control  the  lower  House  of  Congress,  one- 
third  of  the  members  of  the  Senate,  and  every  State  Legis- 
lature in  the  country.  We  shall  fill  everj<  governatorial  seat,, 
and  send  members  of  our  brotherhood  to  all  judicial  benches 
of  the  country,  excepting  the  supreme  judges  whose  tenure  of 
office  has  not  expired  by  that  time.  Let  us  pause,  friends,  to 
look  at  the  stupenduous  significance  or' this  prospect.  Let  us 
consider  both  the  possibilities  and  the  duties  which  it  in- 
volves. We  shall  have  the  sole  and  undisputed  control  of 
Occidentia,  before  four  more  years  have  passed.  In  other 
words,  we  shall  meet  in  the  nearest  future  an  awful  responsi- 
bility, doubly  awful,  because  we  are  inaugurating  a  new  state 


EITHER,  OR.  367 

of  affairs,  and  will  have  to  prove  to  a  wondering  world  both 
the  feasibility  of  our  reforms,  and  also  their  stability.  The 
result  cannot  be  dubious,  if  we  are  but  true  to  ourselves, 
our  principles  and  our  promises.  Do  not  forget,  friends,  that 
we  now  stand  upon  our  good  behavior,  that  we  are  on  trial, 
and  that  the  slightest  error  on  our  part  will  be  magnified  by 
our  foes,  and  used  to  our  detriment.  Let,  therefore,  every 
member  of  the  brotherhood  resolve  himself  into  a  committee, 
to  watch  both  his  private  and  public  character,  to  see  that  he 
controls  his  passions  and  abstains  from  any  interference  with 
the  rights  of  others,  showing  beyond  doubt  and  cavil,  that  the 
yeomen  of  the  Nation  can  be,  and  are  indeed  the  unshakable 
support  and  safeguard  of  free  institutions." 

"That's  it,"  said  Richard,  handing  the  paper  to  Maxwell. 
"The  danger  lies  now,  not  without,  but  within.  If  our  boys 
do  not  observe  the  strictest  order;  if  they  violate  in  one  way 
or  another  the  rights  of  their  neighbors,  there  will  be  a  big 
outcry,  and  the  sins  of  the  individual  will  be  charged  to  the 
order." 

From  these  remarks  we  are  entitled  to  judge  that  our 
friend  did  not  anticipate  any  more  trouble  frnm  the  defeated 
enemy,  thinking,  probably,  that  this  slaughter  had  broken 
their  backbone.  We  shall  soon  see  how  right  or  wrong  he  was. 

Mrs.  Cheatham  paid  her  children  as  many  visits  as  she 
could  without  neglecting  her  home  duties,  or  provoking  any 
domestic  disturbances.  She  had  learned  to  love  and 
honor  Richard,  and  to  admire  the  total  unselfishness 
with  which  he  advocated  the  rights  of  the  people.  She  had, 
indeed,  become  a  convert  to  his  views,  her  experience  having 
probably  shown  her  the  vanity  and  hollowness  of  riches. 
About  a  week  after  the  election  she  appeared  in  the  house  of 
our  friends,  and  said  to  Richard:  "My  son,  can  I  see  you  in 
private?" 

"Certainly,"  he  responed,  rising  and  making  mien  to  leave 
the  room. 

"May  I  come,  mamma?"  Blanche  cried  playfully. 

"Of  course,"  she  replied  and  the  trio  left  the  sitting  room 


368  EITHER,  OR. 

for  the  parlor.  When  they  were  seated,  Mrs.  Cheatham  said: 
"Richard,  I  have  discovered  things  which  I  feel  it  my  duty 
to  communicate  to  you.  You  know  the  affairs  of  our  family 
too  well,  to  require  any  explanation  of  my  motives,  so  I  will 
merely  say  that  I  do  not  make  these  disclosures  to  hurt  any- 
body, but  to  save  your  friends  from  danger  and  great 
harm." 

"You  make  me  both  curious  and  anxious,  mother.  Do 
you  apply  the  term  friends  to  my  home  circle?" 

"No,  my  son,  to  your  clients  at  large.  It  is  useless  to  en- 
ter into  details,  so  let  me  simply  say,  that  I  found  a  note  in 
the  grate  of  the  library,  which  contained  the  information  that 
a  body  of  men  would  soon  visit  the  Senator,  to  confer  with 
him  on  the  best  and  most  expedient  mode  of  checking  the 
alarming  inroads  of  the  people,  or  as  the  paper  called  it, 
'mob'  upon  the  upper  classes." 

"Ah  !  I  wonder,  Mr.  Cheatham  did  not  take  the  precau- 
tion to  destroy  this  paper." 

"You  must  remember,  Richard,  that  his  eyesight  has  been 
greatly  impaired.  He  did  make  the  attempt  to  destroy  the 
paper,  for  it  was  partly  burned,  creating  probably  the  impres- 
sion of  its  entire  destruction.     Here  is  the  note:" 

Richard  took  the  paper  with  much  curiosity,  and  read  as 
follows: 

IvAKEOPOLIS,   Nov.   5th,    18 — . 

Dear  Sir  : — Your  note  reached  me  yesterday.  I  am  glad 
to  tell  you  that  we  have  anticipated  the  necessity  of  such  a 
step  as  you  suggest,  and  resolved  upon  an  early  meeting  in 
Plutopolis,  to  discuss  measures  for  the  suppression  of  the  mob, 
and  its  devices.  Your  invitation  simplifies  the  measure,  and 
after  due  consultation  with  my  friends,  we  have  determined 
to  meet  at  your  house  on  Nov.  the  10th,  at  precisely  9  p.  m. 

The  committee  consists,  besides  you  and  myself,  of — 
we  omit  the  names  as  irrelevant  to  the  issue.  Please  arrange 
matters  with  becoming  secrecy,  as  our  purposes  must  not 
become  public. 

Yours  in  haste,         Conrad  Graspman. 


EITHER,  OR.  369 

"This  is  important  news,  indeed,  mother,"  Richard  said 
gravely,  "but  it  is  of  little  use  if  we  cannot  get  a  clue  to  their 
machinations.  I  feel  confident  that  they  will  leave  no  stone 
unturned  to  accomplish  our  ruin,  and  would  give  a  year  of  my 
life  to  ferret  out  their  plans." 

Mrs.  Cheatham  listened  attentively,  and  then  mused 
a  while. 

"I  wish  I  could  help  you,  Richard,"  she  said  at  last,  hesi- 
tatingly. "I  detest  eaves  dropping,  but  in  cases  of  emergen- 
cies and  public  danger,  one  must  not  be  too  delicate.  I  know 
a  place  where  I  could  overhear  the  deliberations  of  the  con- 
spirators, but  my  memory  is  treacherous,  and  I  fear  I  would 
lose  much  of  their  conversation.  If  I  understood  short- 
hand—" 

Richard  started,  "Mother,"  he  said  eagerly,  "did  you 
ever  see  one  of  my  phonographs?" 

"Yes,  Richard,  we  have  more  than  once  amused  ourselves 
with  its  magical  powers." 

"Then,  could  you  not  smuggle  one  of  them  into  the  room?" 

"I  might,"  she  said  thoughtfully ;  "but  I  have  no  way  of 
starting  it  in  season." 

"I  have,  mother.  I  provided  one  or  two  with  works, 
which  can  be  wound  and  made  to  start  the  machine  at  any 
given  time." 

"That  will  do,  I  think.  Give  me  your  phonograph, 
Richard,  and  I  will  manage  the  rest.  If  they  plotted  against 
me,  I  would  not  stir  a  finger,  for  death,  my  son,  is  not  hard  to 
bear  for  one  bruised  and  lettered  as  I  am.  But  the  people. 
Nay,  I  will  baffle  them  in  spite  of  their  millions.  Ah,  it  is 
some  grim  satisfaction  to  play  Nemesis,  my  son." 

For  a  moment  a  fierce  fire  flashed  from  her  eyes,  then 
she  relapsed  into  her  apathy,  taking  the  box  he  handed  her 
and  departing  with  the  promise  to  do  her  best. 

The  days  slipped  by,  one  after  another,  and  when  the 
morning  of  the  eleventh  set  in,  Richard  started  at  every  noise, 
and  sprang  to  his  feet  at  every  ring  of  the  bell,  *  expecting 
every  moment  to  see  or  hear  from  Mrs.  Cheatham.    However, 


370  EITHER,  OR. 

the  morning  passed  off  without  bringing  any  sign  of  her,  and 
when  the  shades  of  evening  began  to  settle  over  the  city  with- 
out even  a  token  from  her,  his  heart  sank  within  him,  and  he 
began  to  fear  that  her  risky  mission  had  failed,  endangering 
perhaps  her  life.  He  did  not  express  these  fears  to  Blanche, 
but  was  determined  to  assure  himself  of  Mrs.  Cheatham's 
well  being  if  the  next  morning  brought  no  news  from  her.  It 
did,  though.  At  about  ten  o'clock  she  appeared  in  the  house, 
carrying  with  her,  and  delivering  with  a  sigh  of  relief,  the 
machine  to  Richard. 

"I  could  not  come  yesterday,"  she  said,  sinking  into  a 
chair.  The  thing  worked  all  right,  but  I  could  not  find  an 
opportunity  to  take  the  phonograph  from  its  hiding  place,  as 
the  excitement  of  the  previous  night  had  shattered  his" — she 
generally  spoke  of  the  Senator  that  way — "nerves,  and  be  re- 
mained at  home  all  da}7.  So  I  had  to  steal  into  his  study  in 
the  dead  of  night,  you  see." 

"How  can  I  ever  prove  my  gratitude,  mother?" 

She  made  a  deprecating  gesture,  then  said  :  "You  owe 
me  nothing,  Richard.  It  is  not  for  you,  I  did  this  but  for 
mankind.  My  life  has  been  such  a  blank,  so  useless,  that  the 
thought  of  helping  the  people  ever  so  little,  has  quite  a  charm 
for  me." 

"You  raised  this  little  girl,  mother,.  That  was  enough 
to  ennoble  your  life." 

"Enoble?"  she  cried  with  inexpressible  bitterness.  "How 
can  that  be  noble  which  was  dragged  through  filth  and  mire? 
But,  farewell,  dear  children,  I  must  go." 

"Will  you  not  stay  to  hear  the  result  of  your  venture?" 

"No,  Richard.  I  must  go,  you  can  tell  me  some  other 
time." 

When  she  had  left  them,  Richard  reverted  the  machine, 
slackened  its  motion  sufficiently  to  copy  its  delivery  and  then 
prepared  to  note  it  down. 

It  was*a  long  and  weary  task,  and  his  fingers  threatened 
to  cease  their  cunning, but  on  he  wrote,  both  his  and  Blanche's 


EITHER,  OR.  371 

attention  growing  every  minute,   until    they  had  become  the 
prey  of  feverish  excitement. 

The  contents  are  too  long  for  reproduction  at  this  place. 
To  curtail,  i.  <?.,  to  mutilate  them,  would  deprive  them  of 
their  interests,  so  we  prefer  to  copy  a  leader  of  the  following 
issue  of  the  Sentinel,  headed:  "A  Startling  Revelation,"  and 
having,  indeed,  the  effect  of  startling  and  arousing  the  entire 
Nation  to  its  nethermost  depth.  And  this  is  what  the  leader 
said : 

"We  are  in  possession  of  news  to-day,  news  so  startling, 
so  highly  improbable  and  increditable,  that  we  would  not 
dare  to  publish  it,  were  we  not  in  condition  to  prove  every 
item  in  the  most  irrefutable  and  substantial  manner.  We 
give  to-day  only  the  facts,  but  are  in  possession  of  the  names 
as  well.  If  this  publication  of  the  nefarious  scheme  con- 
cocted does  not  drive  the  fiendish  perpetrators  into  their 
dens,  and  induce  them  to  abandon  a  conspiracy  aiming  at  the 
ruin  of  hundreds  of  thousands  of  the  families  of  this  coun- 
try, we  shall  give  them  also.  We  repeat,  that  we  are  in  pos- 
session of  the  very  words  in  which  these  conspirators  ex- 
pressed their  wicked  intentions,  and  are  prepared  to  give  not 
only  their  names,  but  prove  out  of  their  very  mouths  the 
truth  and  perfect  correctness  of  our  accusations. 

And  this  is  what  we  have  to  say : 

On  the  evening  of  the  tenth  of  November  there  met,  in  the 
mansion  of  one  of  the  millionaires  of  Palace  street,  a  conclave 
of  twelve  men,  representatives  of  the  great  industries  of  Occi- 
dentia,  not  of  their  own  accord,  but  as  a  committee  sent  by 
these  industries  to  deliberate,  not  upon  their  own  welfare  and 
the  welfare  of  the  men  they  represent,  but  upon  the  ruin  and 
enslavement  of  the  working  classes  of  this  country.  Mind 
what  we  say,  for,  what  we  say,  we  mean,  and  what  we  mean 
can  prove  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  most  sceptical.  And  how 
was  this  ruin  to  be  accomplished?  Listen  ;  On  pretense  of 
hard  times,  a  bad  market  and  a  stringency  of  money,  these 
great  industries  were  to  be  closed,  one  after  another,  and  to 
be  kept  closed  until  our   workingmen    would  be  subdued  by 


372  EITHER.  OR. 

starvation;  until  the  wailings  of  their  wives  and  babes  would 
force  them  to  surrender  their  manhood,  bow  their  necks  under 
the  yoke  and  receive  the  lashes  due  them  for  their  impudent 
claim  of  being  human  beings,  possessed  of  rights  that  should 
be  respected  by  their  masters.  The  great  rolling  mills  of 
Smokopolis  were  to  open  the  dance.  Then  the  gigantic  in- 
dustries of  Plutopolis,  Fratropolis,  L,akopolis  and  other  cities 
were  to  follow  suit,  each  wheeling  into  line  and  to  remain 
closed  until  starvation  had  done  its  work. 

We  used  the  past  tense  on  purpose,  for  we  think,  we 
hope,  yea  trust,  that,  when  these  lines  meet  the  eyes  of  the 
guilty  parties,  the)'  will  shrink  in  horror  at  the  fearful  thing 
they  contemplated.  If  we  err ;  if  they  are  shameless  enough 
to  push  their  nefarious  scheme  in  spite  of  the  wonderment  of 
an  indignant  public,  very  well;  we  shall  then  give  the 
names  which  we  now  charitably  withhold,  and  brand  with 
everlasting  shame,  individuals,  so  dead  to  the  nobler  promptings 
of  nature,  as  to  plan,  in  cold  blood,  of  the  ruin  of  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  their  fellow  beings,  who  have  committed  no 
other  crime  than  that  of  asserting  their  inborn  rights. 

These  men  are  conspirators.  Our  courts  know  this  fact, 
but  it  would  be  merely  a  farce  to  ask  them  to  punish  these  crim- 
inals to  the  full  extent  of  the  law.  If  they  were  poor,  it 
would  be  a  different  thing;  but  being  rich  and  mighty,  the 
arm  of  the  law  is  too  short  to  reach  them. 

In  conclusion  we  utter  in  kindness  and  without  the 
shadow  of  a  menace,  the  word  "beware!"  Our  yeoman  are 
generous  and  long  suffering  to  a  fault,  but  human  patience  has 
its  limits.  The  workingmen  of  the  country  pride  themselves 
upon  being  law  abiding  citizens,  and  respecters  of  the  rights 
of  others;  but  they  are,  after  all,  but  human,  and  when  they  are 
driven  to  the  wall,  and  cannot  recede  further,  when  their  dear 
ones  are  crying  for  bread  which  they  cannot  give  them  then,  ye 
rich  men  of  the  laud,  they  might  forget  that  it  is  not  lawful  to 
strike  an  ingenious  tormentor,  or  to  take  things  which  legally 
do  not  belong  to  them.  We  shall  continue  to  do  our  duty, 
holding  up  the  standard  of  moderation  and  toleration  to  the 


EITHER,  OR.  373 

bitter  end,  but  we  shall  also  continue  to  teach  to  our  brethren 
their  natural  and  inborn  rights,  and  if  in  the  hour  of  the 
crisis,  the  dam  breaks,  and  sweeps  away  the  heartless  oppres- 
sor, we  shall  pity  him,  but  not  mourn  for  him." 

As  we  have  stated  before,  the  effect  of  this  article  was 
deep  and  lasting.  There  were  no  outcries  of  indignation,  no 
threats,  no  imprecations,  but  the  emotion  was  that  of  deep 
waters  when  stirred  to  their  depths.  Only  shallow,  babbling 
brooks  fume  and  fret,  and  when  you  notice  a  mighty  upheav- 
ing, grounds  well  reaching  from  one  shore  to  another,  you 
may  judge  that  the  water  is  deep,  and  that  it  has  been  stirred 
to  the  bottom.  There  were  no  further  condemnatory  articles 
in  the  Sentinel;  there  were  no  indignation  meetings,  no  wait- 
ing or  protesting  or  imploring  committees  to  the  heads  of 
industries,  but  these  heads  felt  the  silent  remonstrance  perhaps 
more  keenly  on  account  of  its  very  silence,  and  when  New 
Years  came,  the  time  set  for  the  inauguration  of  the  starvation 
policy,  the  rolling  mills  and  machine  shops  remained  open, 
and  the  industries  of  the  country  went  their  wonted  way, 
fostered  and  strengthened  by  the  plentiful  harvest  of  the  year, 
and  the  peaceful  attitude  of  the  entire  civilized  world. 

Spring  set  in,  and  passed  away.  Summer  followed  in  its 
wake,  and  autumn  in  that  of  Summer.  Once  more  the  elec- 
tions were  close  at  hand  and  this  time  everything  that  money 
and  power  and  influence  could  accomplish,  had  been  done. 
Was  it  successful  ?  Had  the  theory  that  the  poor  man  does 
not  appreciate  his  franchise,  and  is  ready  to  sell  it  for  a  drink, 
proved  correct  ?  Let  us  see.  L,et  us  once  more  accompany 
our  friends  to  the  polls  and  listen  in  the  evening  to  the  '•tick," 
"tick"  of  the  mighty  fluid  shaping  now  our  industries  and 
destined  to  shape  it  much  more  completely  in  future  genera- 
tions. What  do  these  ticks  tell  ?  That  the  old  bosses  have 
forced  the  masses  back  to  their  allegiance  ?  That  the  rich  and 
mighty  have  voted  like  a  unit  and  saved  the  country,  which, 
in  their  dictionary  means  themselves  ?  Not  much,  for  listen  : 
"The  other  twenty-five  states  have  elected  National  Governors. 
Their   legislators  are   solid  phalanxes  of  nationalists.     The 


374  EITHER.OR. 

Lower  House  of  Congress  bears  the  same  impress,  and  when 
the  legislators  have  elected  the  Senators  that  go  out,  even  this 
senate  is  the  stronghold  of  conservatism,  the  refuge  of  feuda- 
lists principles  will  be  one  third  nationalists  with  the  dead 
certainty  of  becoming  two  thirds  in  two  more,  and  totally  so 
in  four  more  years.  This  time  there  is  no  apathy  on  the 
part  of  the  people.  They  have  felt  their  power  and  tasted 
their  importance,  and  their  joy  is  therefore  more  noisy,  though 
still  orderly.  Only  here  and  there  outbreaks  occurred, 
and  these  were  quelled  by  the  Brotherhood.  The  worst  was 
in  Plutopolis,  where  thousands  of  ignorant  people  assembled 
in  dangerous  quantities.  They  gathered  in  their  own  wards, 
and  taking  heart  from  numbers  and  whiskey,  prepared  to  in- 
vade the  quarters  of  the  wealthy.  The  authorities  were  power- 
less, so  they  accepted  the  support  of  the  batallious,  so  thor- 
oughly drilled  by  our  friends.  Silently,  but  resolutely  they 
march  into  the  rebellious  ward,  first  warning,  then  charging 
the  rioters.  True,  these  too,  are  armed,  but  their  aimless 
shots  do  little  harm,  and  when  the  compact  bodies  of  Nation- 
alist yeomen  strike  their  loose  and  promiscuous  masses,  the 
latter  fly  before  them,  as  the  chaff  before  the  wind.  They 
gather  behind  them,  attacking  in  the  rear  with  the  fury  of 
wild  cats,  and  the  instinct  of  cowards;  but  the  compact  body 
wheels  and  again  the  deluded  foes  flee,  this  time  to  disperse 
and  to  hide,  to  escape  the  arm  of  law  and  order  which  has 
regained  its  strength,  and  now  seizes  a  few  leaders  to  strike 
terror  into  those  who  led. 

The  next  day  everything  was  quiet,  and  with  new  assur- 
ance did  Richard  look  upon  the  problem  of  the  possibility  of 
a  self  control  of  the  masses,  when  no  longer  restrained  by  the 
club  of  the  policeman  or  the  musket  of  the  soldier. 


EITHER.  OR.  375 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

THE   GREAT   STRIKE. 

Richard  and  the  other  chiefs  of  the  Brotherhood  now  met 
in  almost  daily  council.  It  was  time  to  inaugurate  some 
measure  tending  towards  that  great  change,  not  to  say  revolu- 
tion, likely  to  occur  in  a  few  years.  They  knew  it  would  be 
idle  to  expect  an}-  voluntary  concessions  on  the  part  of  capital; 
so  they  would  have  to  be  demanded,  and  demanded  gradually, 
not  to  startle  it  and  cause  it  to  act  like  the  stubborn  mule 
which  balks,  if  you  put  too  heavy  a  load  upon  the  cart.  The 
Brotherhood  designed  to  equalize  labor  and  shorten  its  hours; 
so  it  was  determined  to  demand  from  all  employers  a  shorten- 
ing of  the  daily  period  of  labor  to  eight  hours. 

This  demand  was  to  be  made  by  a  few  trades  first  and  on 
a  certain  morning  was  actually  made  by  the  iron  workers  of 
the  country.  The  employers  demanded  twenty-four  hours 
time  for  deliberation,  and  when  they  had  expired,  perempto- 
rily refused  to  accede  to  the  demand,  alleging  that  such  a  con- 
cession would  irretrievably  ruin  them.  It  was  evident  that 
something  was  brewing,  and  when  Richard  learned  of  this  de- 
cision he  hastily  convened  his  confederates.  When  they  had 
assembled  he  addressed  them,  saying  in  brief :  "Brethren:— 
The  crisis  has  come,  and  it  behooves  us  to  meet  it  like  men. 
They  would  not  have  given  this  unqualified  lefusal,  if  they 
had  not  met  in  council,  and  determined  upon  uniform  action. 
The  ancients  said  'Him  whom  ihe  Gods  wish  to  destroy,  they 
first  make  mad.'  These  men  are  mad.  They  cannot  read  the 
signs  of  the  times,  and  deserve  neither  pity  nor  consideration. 
They  are  simply  mad,  but,  in  their  madness,  will  stroke  fur- 
iously and  desperately.  Like  wise  men  we  must  look  out  for 
these  blows  and  prepare  to  meet  them.  A  universal  strike 
will  be  inevitable,  and  it  is  fortunate  that  we  are  prepared  for 
it.  Our  graueries  are  full.  Our  stores  are  ample,  and  we  can 
stand  the  strain,  severe  though  it  be.  Secretary,  wire  to  all 
head  centers  to  prepare  for  the  worst,  and   wait  for  the  word 


376  EITHER,  OR. 

go.  I  wonder  what  these  foolish  people  will  do  next,  for 
depend  upon  it,  now  that  they  have  turned  upon  us,  they 
will  not  stop  at  half  measures." 

His  words  were  truly  prophetic,  for  at  this  very  moment 
a  constable  appeared  at  the  door,  drawing  forth  a  paper  from 
which  he  read  a  list  of  names,  adding:  "Gentleman,  I  have 
orders  to  summon  you  before  Judge  Muddle  of  the  District 
Court  of  Plutopolis,  to  answer  to  the  charge  of  conspiracy." 

The>  looked  at  one  another,  then  at  Richard,  who  only 
smiled,  saying  merely,  "I  told  you  so." 

Then  turning  to  the  constable,  he  added:  "Then  we  are 
under  arrest,  sir  ?  " 

"That's  what's  the  matter.  I  am  charged  to  take  you 
before  his  Honor,  where  you  can  give  bail,  I  reckon." 

"All  right,  law  is  law,  and  order,  order.  Come  gentlemen, 
let  us  visit  the  Honorable  Muddle,  and  see  upon  what  he 
bases  his  charge." 

The  conclave  did  not  seem  to  be  greatly  depressed  by 
this  unexpected  maneuvre  of  the  enemy,  for  they  laughed  as 
they  took  their  hats,  and  good  naturedly  followed  the  constable 
who,  from  his  sheepish  looks  appeared  more  like  their 
prisoner  than  their  custodian.  A  street  car  took  them  to  the 
court  house  where  they  had  to  wait  awhile  until  the  case 
before  his  Honor  was  finished.  Fifteen  minutes  later  they 
stood  before  the  judge,  who  eyed  them  rather  sternly,  and  then 
proceeded  to  enlighten  them  as  to  the  nature  of  the  charge 
preferred  against  them.  In  closing  he  said :  "The  offense  of 
which  you  are  accused  is  a  serious  one,  punishable  with  im- 
prisonment of  no  less  than  two,  and  no  more  than  five  years. 
I  will  have  to  make  your  bail  commensurate  with  the  gravity 
of  the  charge.  I  suppose  you  desire  and  are  prepared  to  give 
bail?  " 

"Of  course"  Richard  replied  with  a  profound  bow  ;  "how 
much  will  it  be  judge?" 

"Five  thousand  dollars  in  each  case." 

"There  are  twelve  of  us.  Will  you  accept  my  own 
cognizance?  " 


EITHER,  OR.  377 

At  this  moment  Maxwell  entered  the  room.  The  start- 
ling rumor  of  his  brother-in-law's  arrest  had  reached  him  while 
walking  in  the  streets  and  he  had  hastened  to  ascertain  the 
cause.  "What's  this,  judge,"  he  inquired  rather  sharply,  having 
little  patience  with  this  childish  attempt  to  stop  an  elephant 
by  a  paper  fence. 

"How  do  you  do,  Mr.  Maxwell?  Serious  affair  this. 
These  gentlemen  are  charged  with  conspiracy,  and  if  found 
guilty,  will  have  an  opportunity  to  find  that  the  laws  of  the 
land  cannot  be  trifled  with." 

"Are  you  judge  or  prosecuting  attorney?" 

"Mr.  Maxwell,  I  must  request  you  to  remember  where 
you  are.     This  is  a  court  of  justice,  sir." 

"iYccording  to  traditon,  yes.  Will  you  accept  me  as 
bail?" 

"For  all  of  them?" 

"Why,  of  course.  I  have  fixed  the  sum  total  at  sixty 
thousand." 

"All  right;  make  out  the  papers." 

This  was  done,  and  five  minutes  later  the  duodecuple 
breathed  once  more  the  air  of  freedom.  "What  does  it  all 
mean?"  Maxwell  inquired,  as  they  were  seated  in  the  car  to 
return  to  National  Hall. 

Richard  explained,  but  Maxwell  shook  his  head  and  said  : 
"I  do  not  see  the  use  of  it.  Of  course  there  is  nothing  in  the 
case." 

"Yes,  there  is,  I,ucius;  there  is  a  bluff  in  it.  They  have 
been  driven  to  madness,  and  in  this  madness  imagine  a  switch 
to  be  a  lance.  But  here  we  are,  gentlemen,  so  get  ready  for 
work.  Maxwell,  you  had  better  stay  and  hear  what  is 
going  on." 

"All  right,  Richard,  I'll  be  a  good  listener,  and  if  need  be. 
a  good  executioner." 

Again  Richard  took  the  floor.  "We  must  act,  friends, 
and  act  quickly.  We  cannot  strike  without  further  provoca- 
tion, and  must  therefore  contrive  this  provocation.  L,et  me 
see ;  the  judge  set   our   hearing   for  Wednesday  week,  so  we 


378  HITHER,  OR. 

have  no  time  to  lose.  We  must  resolve  into  a  committee, 
and  carry  out  the  necessary  measures  with  expediency.  All 
the  trades  of  the  country  must  ask  to-morrow  ot  their  employ: 
ers  for  eight  hours  work  per  diem;  nor  must  they  grant 
more  than  twenty  four  hours  of  grace  for  deliberation.  We 
know  beforehand  that  the  request  will  be  refused,  and  must, 
therefore,  telegraph  once  more  to  headquarters  to  prepare  for 
a  general  strike,  the  time  to  be  specified  by  a  final  message. 
Use  ciphers,  friends,  for  these  telegraph  lines  are  in  conniv- 
ance with  our  foes,  and  will  hurt  and  thwart  us,  if  they  can 
and  dare.-' 

In  accordance  with  this  programme  the  demand  for  the 
reduction  of  time  was  universally  refused.  Then  the  few 
simple  and  yet  portentious  words  were  flashed  over  the  lines  : 
"Friday  next,  at  twelve  A.  M." 

It  was  Thursday  then,  and  everything  went  its  customary 
way.  Nothing  on  the  surface  indicated  that  the  gases  of  the 
great  caverns  underneath  had  reached  their  utmost  capacity 
of  resistence,  and  that  to-morrow  the  eruption  would  take  place. 
Not  an  eruption  scattering  blood  and  riot,  but  an  eruption 
powerful  and  awful  in  proportion  to  its  quietude.  Perhaps  the 
term  eruption  is  inappropriate ;  perhaps  we  should  have 
called  it  a  dismemberment  of  a  giant,  the  untying  of  the 
limbs  so  strong  in  union,  but  so  weak  and  helpless  in  severalty. 
The  night  came,  the  night  went  and  a  new  morning  was 
ushered  in,  to  pass  rapidly  for  some,  and  for  others  slow,  for 
there  are  always  some  in  misery,  and  some  in  glee;  but  it 
finally  passed  for  all,  and  the  hour  of  12  was  proclaimed  from 
the  dome  of  the  City  Hall. 

Then  a  still,  but  effective  activity  began,  negative,  it  is 
true,  but  nevertheless  startling.  The  street  cars  then  en 
route,  went  to  the  stables  to  unhitch  and  water,  as  it  had 
been  strictly  enjoined  that  no  innocent  part}'  should  be  per- 
mitted to  suffer.  The  horses  in  the  stalls  were  all  fed  and 
watered  and  then  the  employees  took  their  departure  for  their 
homes,  if  they  had  such  or  for  the  head  centers  of  the  Brother- 
hood, if  not.     The  clerks  in   the   public   buildings  took  their 


EITHER.OR.  379 

hats  and  left  their  employment  as  well  as  their 
places.  The  mail-carriers  laid  down  their  mail  pouches 
and  went  home.  The  waiters  in  the  hotels  undid  their 
aprons,  and  stopped  whatever  work  they  had  been  engaged 
in  when  the  clock  tolled  the  hour  of  12.  The  clerks 
in  the  stores  left  the  goods  on  the  counter,  and  their  custo- 
mers in  front  of  them,  to  take  the  way  to  their  respective 
•quarters.  The  railroad  men  left  the  trains  ready  to  start, 
and  those  managing  the  trains  which  arrived,  followed  their 
example.  It  had  been  decreed  that  no  train  should  be 
abandoned  under  way,  as  this  would  have  punished  the  em- 
ployees as  well  as  the  railroad  kings,  and  entailed  suffering 
upon  unsuspecting  travelers.  But  when  these  trains  reached 
centers  or  their  place  of  destination,  they  were  abandoned. 
The  tradesmen  left  their  vocation,  and  the  telegraph  operators, 
their  machines.  No  news  was  flashed  over  the  wires,  and  no 
communications  received  from  other  parts  of  the  country. 
No  cry  of  the  newsboys  was  heard  that  afternoon,  no  paper 
was  issued.  The  domestic  servants  shared  in  the  stampede. 
The  cooks  left  the  dinner  broiling  on  the  range,  and  the 
grooms  their  stables,  after  first  seeing  to  the  well-fare  of  the 
innocent  animals  entrusted  to  their  care,  and  all  of  them  who 
had  no  families  to  supply  their  wants,  went  to  the  headquarters 
of  the  Brotherhood  to  be  fed,  for,  thanks  to  the  forethought 
of  Richard,  ample  preparations  had  been  made,  plentiful  pro- 
visions of  all  kinds  laid  in  to  last  long  enough  to  bring  a 
dazed  money  aristocracy  to  terms.  Our  friend  knew  as  well 
as  anybody  that  the  world  is  based  upon  mutuality  and  that 
the  members  need  the  stomach  as  well  as  the  stomach  the 
members;  but  he  knew  also  that  his  clients,  if  duly  prepared, 
could  endure  without  harm  and  for  a  short  time,  the  strain- 
fatal  to  the  helpless  and  uninitiated. 

The  city  presented  a  strange  appearance  that  afternoon. 
It  looked  like  a  giant  whose  blood  has  all  rushed  to  the  heart, 
leaving  the  extremities  not  only  pale,  but  also  weak  and 
powerless.  There  was  only  this  difference,  that  in  this  case 
the  blood  had  concentrated    in  a   dozen  hearts   teaming  with 


38o  EITHER,  OR. 

life,  strength  and  agility,  but  preserving  order  and  decorum. 
The  streets  were  nearly  empty.  Only  now  and  then  a  startled, 
nervous  figure  would  glide  along  the  pavement,  wondering 
what  all  this  meant,  and  whether  the  world  was  likely  to  come 
to  an  end  that  night.  Occasionally  two  friends  would  meet 
in  that  way,  and  then  the  wonderment  shaped  itself  into  the 
question:  "What  does  it  mean?  What  is  going  to  happen 
next  ? " 

The  moneyed  men  of  the  city  stole  to  their  respective 
haunts,  and  there  gathered  in  groops  asking  the  same  ques- 
tions, and  receiving  the  same  reply.  "Don't  know."  Nobody 
knew,  nobody  knew  even  an  outlet  from  this  dilemma.  No  one 
even  knew  how  far  this  stagnation  extended,  for  the  desks  of 
the  operators  stood  vacant  and  no  message  could  be  either 
wired  or  received,  for  the  stockholders  had  only  the  money, 
but  not  the  skill  to  ask  for  news  or  help.  They  felt  like  a 
caravan  overtaken  by  the  samum  of  the  desert.  They  lie 
stricken  down  by  the  hot  breath,  covering  mouth  and  eyes- 
and  ears,  to  keep  the  deadly  sand  from  entering,  but  they  do 
not  know  how  far  the  samum  extends,  and  whether  their 
friends  and  mates  in  other  places  suffer  like  them  or  not. 

It  was  a  terrible  isolation  which  they  endured  that  after- 
noon, a  desolation  made  a  hundred  fold  worse  by  the  fear  of 
something  worse  to  come.  There  rose  before  their  vision  of 
the  faces  of  the  thousands  they  had  plundered,  and  with  this 
vision  the  natural  fear  that  the  day  of  reckoning  was  near  and 
that  they  would  all  be  immolated  on  the  altar  of  a  dreadful 
vengeance.  And  did  they  take  any  measures  to  ward  off  the 
pending  blow  ?  No,  they  lay  their  hands  idly  in  their  laps, 
looking  helplessly  at  each  other,  but  stirring  neither  hand  nor 
foot,  to  offer  a  compromise  or  utter  a  request.  It  is  not  stub- 
bornness of  despair.  They  allow  the  dusk  of  evening  to 
descend  upon  the  desolate  city,  then  start  home,  startling  at 
every  noise,  shrinking  from  every  shadow,  and  expecting 
every  moment  the  mob  which  in  their  imagination  has 
gathered  and  is  coniing  to  despoil  them  of  treasures  now  so- 
valuable  and  irksome. 


EITHER,  OR.  381 

And  did  it  gather  ?  The  reader  is  aware  that  our  foul 
social  system  has  produced  many  gauls  that  would  delight  in 
plunder,  rapine,  violence  and  murder  ;  but  he  is  also  aware 
that  our  hero  is  not  the  man  to  allow  the  hilt  to  be  thus 
twisted  from  his  hands.  He  had  urged  the  necessity  of  pre- 
caution upon  his  friends,  and  when  the  mantle  of  night  had 
fallen  upon  the  city,  bands  of  armed  men  began  to  patrol  the 
streets.  Plutopolis  numbered  fully  a  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  of  them,  and  while  the  aristocracy  was  trembling 
with  fear,  these  yeoman  renounced  their  bed  and  slumber,  and 
guarded  their  homes  against  foes,  with  whom  they  so  unjustly 
accused  them  of  being  in  league. 

In  consequence  not  a  riot  occurred  during  the  night,  and 
in  the  morning  the  men  of  wealth  once  more  met  in  knots  to 
discuss  the  situation,  and  to  bring  about  conciliation  with  the 
people  whom  they  secretly  despised,  but  whom  they  had  found 
so  iudispensible,  not  merely  for  their  comforts,  but  their  very 
existence.  Many  of  them  had  had  no  meal  since  the  beginning 
of  the  strike,  and  the  stomach  is  too  powerful  a  persuader  to 
be  disregarded  very  long.  They  no  longer  debated  the 
feasibility  of  concessions,  but  their  absolute  necessity,  and 
trembled  at  the  possibility  of  a  rejection  of  their  overtures. 

But  where  should  they  go  ?  Whom  should  they  meet  ? 
At  last  one  of  them  suggested  that  they  should  appoint  a  com- 
mittee, and  wait  upon  Richard  Woods,  the  acknowledged 
leader,  if  noi"  originator  of  the  movement. 

"I  think  you  will  find  him  at  National  Hall,"  he  closed, 
"for  it  is  the  headquarters  of  the  brotherhood."  A  committee 
of  three  was  then  chosen  among  them,  Senator  Cheatham,  who 
rose,  when  his  name  was  mentioned,  and  said  with  a  dubious 
shake  of  his  head.  "You  had  better  send  some  one  else.  Mr. 
Woods  and  I  are  not  011  the  friendliest  terms,  and  my  selection 
might  hurt  rather  than  benefit  our  cause."  His  name  was 
then  withdrawn,  and  the  delegates  dispatched.  An  anxious 
hour  followed  their  departure  ;  a  second  one  of  even  greater 
suspense  ensued,  and  the  comparatively  small  band  had  almost 
given  up  the  hope   of  an   adjustment,  when  the  messengers 


382  EITHER,  OR. 

returned,  bringing  good  cheer,  but  stating  that  the  leaders  of 
the  Brotherhood  would  not  give  a  definite  reply  before  they  had 
heard  from  other  places.  Operators  had  at  once  been  dispatched 
to  the  telegraph  bureau,  but  wishing  to  end  the  uncertainty 
of  their  friends,  the  messengers  had  not  deemed  it  prudent  to 
wait  for  further  news.  Let  us  leave  them  and  hasten  to  head- 
quarters, where  we  find  our  friends,  a  little  weary  from  their 
vigilance,  but  flushed  with  hope  and  supported  by  the  con- 
viction that  the  enemy  had  at  last  perceived  his  real  weakness,, 
and  the  uselessness  of  further  resistance.  The  operators  were 
dispatched,  as  stated  before,  and  about  two  hours  later,  sent 
word  that  telegraph  communication  with  the  interior  had 
been  established.  The  wires  were  at  once  connected  with 
National  Hall  and  then  came,  tick  after  tick,  the  newrs  con- 
cerning the  result  of  the  strike  all  over  the  country.  It  did. 
however,  offer  nothing  new.  The  effect  had  been  the  same 
everywhere.  The  same  consternation  on  the  part  of  the 
wealth ;  the  same  moderation  on  the  part  of  the  people,  coupled 
with  the  same  zeal  and  care  for  the  preservation  of  order. 
In  some  places  the  moneyed  men  had  made  overtures  as 
early  as  the  evening  before,  but  in  most  of  them  they  had 
awaited  the  morning  and  then  held  out  the  olive  branch 
which  had  been  accepted.  The  eight  hour  system  was  to  be 
introduced  without  delay,  a  concession  ending  without  doubt 
the  most  stupendous  strike  ever  recorded  in  history.  When 
the  day  set  for  the  trial  of  Richard  and  his  comrades  came, 
they  made  their  appearance  in  the  court  room,  but  were  in- 
formed by  the  Hon.  Mr.  Muddle  that  the  charge  had  been 
withdrawn,  and  the  bond  surrendered  to  Mr.  Maxwell. 

"I  am  almost  sorry,"  said  Richard,  to  his  brother-in  law, 
"that  the  rascals  have  weakened.  It  would  have  been  curious 
and  interesting  to  see  how  far  justice  in  Occidentia  has  become 
affected  by  and  subjected  to  the  charm  of  gold.  The  revision 
of  our  judicial  system  and  the  election  of  our  judges  will  have 
to  be  one  of  the  first  things  to  be  attended  to  after  the  intro- 
duction of  Nationalism." 


EITHER,  OR.  383 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

FOLLOWING    UP   THE    VICTORY. 

We  have  now  reached  a  point  of  our  narrative,  where  the 
fate  of  individuals  merges  into  that  of  the  masses.  We  have 
to  record  the  doings  of  legislatures,  the  proceedings  of  Con- 
gress, and  the  deliberations  of  conventions.  But  if  we  lose 
sight  of  our  particular  friends,  we  feel  and  perceive  their  in- 
fluence in  the  achievements  of  masses,  thus  preserving  the 
link  which  binds  us  to  them.  This  is  particularly  the  case 
with  Richard  Woods,  who  has  played  too  conspicuous  a.  role  in 
our  drama  to  be  forgotten  by  his  friends  and  clients.  There 
was  perhaps  no  more  popular  man  in  Occidentia  just  then,  and 
there  was  surely  none  more  heartily  hated  by  a  certain  clique. 
Strange  to  say,  no  attempt  was  made  upon  his  life,  a  circum- 
stance which  we  can  perhaps  explain  by  the  suggestion  that 
his  foes  saw  not  merely  the  uselessness  of  such  a  crime  at  this 
late  hour,  but  also  the  consciousness  of  its  imminent  danger. 
Richard  had  always  been  one  of  the  main  checks  upon  the 
rashness  and  impetuosity  of  the  masses,  and  to  put  him  out 
ol  the  way  would  have  been  like  the  destruction  of  a  salutary 
dam,  checking  the  flood  and  keeping  it  irom  spreading 
destruction  over  the  valley. 

His  grateful  friends  would  have  showered  honors  and 
preferments  upon  him,  if  he  had  let  them.  "Don't  hamper 
me,  friends"  he  had  begged  them  on  more  than  one  occasion, 
''I  can  do  more  good  out  of  office  than  in.  When  I  am  getting 
too  lazy  to  work,  give  me  a  fat  office,  not  before.  I  promised 
to  let  you  know  when  I  reached  that  stage  of  human  develop- 
ment." 

So  they  had  let  him  alone,  but  there  was  no  meeting 
which  his  presence,  or  at  least  his  spirits  did  not  inspire  ;  no 
legislation  which  was  not  based  by  his  philanthropy,  no  con- 
vention notified  by  his  ardor.  Sometimes  he  was  in  Patropo- 
lis,  consulting  with  the  leaders  of  the  Lower  House,  some- 
times in  the  various  capitals  of  the  states,  urging  the  passage 


384  EITHER,  OR. 

of  reformatory  measures  or  restricting  the  excessive  ardor  of 
some  Hotspur.  Mostly,  however,  he  was  in  Plutopolis, 
either  in  his  home,  made  attractive  and  beautiful  by  grace, 
goodness  and  loveliness,  or  in  National  Hall,  directing  by  his 
counsel  the  movements  of  the  brotherhood,  that  is  the  Nation. 
His  word  was  almost  always  law,  yet  he  never,  for  even  a 
moment,  lost  that  even  tenor,  that  toleration  and  forbearance 
forming  one  of  the  main  attractions  of  his  character.  Seated 
in  the  council  room  he  received  the  news  of  the  day,  news 
mostly  fraught  with  the  spirit  of  nationalism  or  recording 
some  achievement  of  its  adherents.  We  cannot  record  all 
the  doings  of  the  various  legislatures,  but  as  they  were  only 
the  precursors  of  the  more  radical  measures  contemplated, 
our  readers  can  well  afford  to  lose  them.  Female  suffrage 
was  proposed  and  then  adopted.  Next  the  vacancies  of  seats 
in  the  National  Senate  were  filled,  a  measure  giving  our  friends 
one-third  of  that  body.  The  doings  of  Congress,  however, 
claim  and  deserve  a  more  minute  attention.  Maxwell,  who 
had  been  sent  from  Plutopolis,  startled  soon,  after  the  opening 
of  the  session,  not  his  party,  which  was  prepared,  but  the 
world,  by  offering  the  following  resolution: 

Whereas,  In  the  course  of  time,  by  the  abuse  of  privileges 
and  the  misinterpretation  of  principles  and  declarations,  the 
document  called  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  of  Occi- 
dentia,  has  become  obsolete,  insufficient,  and  thus  invalid. 

Be  it  Resolved,  That  we,  the  representatives  of  the  peo- 
ple, herewith  decree  and  provide  that  the  people  of  these 
United  States  of  Occidentia  meet  on  the  second  day  of  Jan- 
uary, eighteen    hundred ,  at  their    respective    places    of 

election  and  then  and  there  elect  delegates  equal  in  number 
to  their  representatives  in  this  Lower  Branch  of  Congress,  said 
delegates  to  meet  at  Lakopolis  on  the  first  day  of  March  of  the 
same  year,  to  revise,  change,  or  replace  by  a  more  suitable  in- 
strument, said  Constitution  of  the  United  States  of  Occidentia. 

Resolved  furthermore,  That  such  a  revised  constitution, 
or  its  substitute,  shall  be  published  for  three  consecutive 
months  prior  to  January  the   second,  eighteen  hundred,  to  be 


EITHER,  OR.  385 

voted  on  said  day  by  the  people  of  the  United  States,  at  their 
usual  places  of  election,  irrespective  of  States,  the  votes  to  be 
Yea  or  No,  on  each  and  every  separate  section,  and  finally  by 
Yea  or  No  on  the  adoption  or  rejection  of  the  entire  instru- 
ment. 

Provided  thirdly,  That,  if  two-thirds,  or  more  than  two- 
thirds  of  all  the  registered  voters  of  these  United  States  of 
Occidentia  vote  in  the  affirmative  for  the  adoption  of  said  in- 
strument, it  shall,  from  that  day  be  the  fundamental  law  of 
the  United  States  of  Occidentia,  and  declared  to  be  such  by 
the  signature  and  proclamation  of  the  then  President  of  the 
United  States  of  Occidentia. 

On  the  following  day  the  House  discussed  the  provisions 
of  the  bill,  which  was  finally   passed   by  a  unanimous  vote  of 
the  body.     A  few  days   later   the  same  bill  was  introduced  in 
the  Senate,  but  postponed   and  impeded    by  all  means  at  the 
disposal   of    that    body.     The    nation    maintained  at  first   a 
respectful  patience,  but  when  the  upper  branch  showed  clearly 
its  intentions  to  disregard    the    manifest  wishes  of  the  people, 
some  ominous  grumbling  was  heard.  All  the  legislatures  which 
had  not  yet  chosen  Senators  in  concordance  with  their  political 
views  passed  resolutions  requesting  their  respective  representa- 
tives   to  either   obey  the    mandate   of  their  constituents,  so 
plainly  indicated  by  the  elections,  or  to  resign  and  make  room 
for  men  more  in  keeping  with  the  spirit    of  the  age.     These 
resolutions  were  certainly   far   from    complimentary,  and  the 
parties  affected  by  them  gnashed  their  teeth  in  impotent  rage. 
But  what  could   they  do?     True,  they  might  retard  the  inevi- 
table result    two   whole    years,    but    when    these   had  passed 
away,  they  would  be  compelled  to  step  off  the  political  stage 
forever,  and  take  with  them  the  odium    of  an    entire  nation. 
If  there  had  been  the  slightast  shadow  of  a  hope,  they  might 
have  held  out,  and  borne  the  opprobrium  of  their  conduct  in 
the   consolation  of  the    coming   re-action.     But  there  was  no 
such  prospect  to  cheer  and  sustain  them,  and  one  by  one  they 
submitted  to  the  inevitable,   and  voted    Ay  on  a  motion  more 
bitter  to  them  than  gall  and  wormwood. 


386  EITHER.  OR. 

The  President  of  the  nation  was  at  that  time  a  man  neither 
great  nor  little,  neither  good  nor  bad.  He  was  a  strict  church 
member,  a  title  which  says  little  if  anything.  He  was  in  the 
same  predicament  as  the  Senate.  If  he  had  any  backing;  if 
even  a  straw  had  indicated  a  change  in  the  public  sentiment, 
he  might  have  had  the  courage  to  veto  the  bill,  thus  leaving 
a  manly  protest  on  record,  a  manly  protest  against  a  measure 
which  he  considered  injurious.  As  it  was,  he  left  the  bill 
without  his  signature,  thus  allowing  it  to  become  valid  by 
default. 

Congress  passed  one  more  law  that  winter  which  deserves 
notice,  namely  a  so  called  alien  law,  making  it  incumbent  for 
any  person  possessing  property  in  Occidentia  to  become  a 
citizen  of  the  country  within  one  year  after  its  adoption,  or 
have  such  property  sold  at  public  auction  for  his  benefit. 
Such  a  law  had  longbeen  demanded,  as  foreign  syndicates  had 
bought  large  tracts  of  land  and  great  industrial  establishments 
in  the  union,  thus  introducing  a  heterogeneous  element  into 
the  country,  an  element  threatening  complications  with  for- 
eign governments  in  case  of  war.  It  was  eminently  just,  no- 
body having  the  right  to  claim  the  benefits  of  a  society  whose 
burdens  he  is  unwilling  to  bear. 

It  was  an  eventful  day  when  the  delegates  chosen  by  the 
people  of  Occidentia  for  the  revision  of  the  constitution  met 
in  Lakopolis.  They  filled  a  large  and  spacious  hall,  and 
formed  a  striking  contrast  with  similar  political  conventions 
of  the  past,  in  as  far  as  bronzed  features  and  sinew}'  hands 
hardened  by  toil  and  labor,  formed  the  rule,  crowding  the 
delicate  complexion  and  soft  jeweled  hands  quite  into  the 
background.  Not  that  wisdom,  patriotism  and  philanthrophy 
are  incompatible  with  a  delicate  skin  and  soft  fingers.  Far 
from  it.  What  we  wished  to  intimate  is,  that  a  different  ele- 
ment, the  element  furnishing  the  sinews  and  intelligence,  and 
creating  wealth ;  an  element  heretofore  overlooked  and  dis- 
regarded, had  at  last  taken  the  prominent  position  due  to  its 
merits  and  importance.  Richard  Woods  was  one  of  the  dele- 
gates from  Plutopolis,  aud  when  after  the  effecting  of  a  tern- 


EITHER,  OR.  387 

porary  organization,  his  name  was  presented  for  the  chair- 
manship of  the  body,  the  storm  of  applause  following  the 
nomination  proved  too  plainly  for  doubt  or  cavil,  how  deeply 
that  name  had  sunk  into  the  hearts  of  a  grateful  nation.  The 
delegate  seconding  the  nomination  said  in  support  of  his 
action : 

"Fellow  Citizens: — In  seconding  the  nomination  of  dele- 
gate from  Plutopolis,  I  cannot  forbear  giving  vent  to  the 
emotions  filling  my  heart  to  overflowing.  It  would  indeed  be 
carrying  coal  to  New  Castle,  to  give  you  at  this  late  hour  the 
history  of  Richard  Woods,  or  call  your  attention  to  his  merits 
in  the  great  cause  of  equal  rights,  and  equal  duties,  now  agi- 
tating this  great  country  from  one  end  to  another,  the  cause, 
in  fact,  which  has  led  to  the  convocation  of  this  convention 
and  shaped  the  nature  of  its  work  ;  but  I  must  and  will  say, 
that  without  the  noble  patriotism  of  Richard  Woods,  without 
his  untiring  zeal,  his  marvelous  energy,  his  fertility  of  resour- 
ces, and  above  everything  else,  his  surprising  tact,  wisdom  and 
moderation,  the  great  work  now  to  be  accomplished,  would 
either  be  unthought  of,  or  at  least  in  a  helpless  state  of  in- 
fancy. To  him  this  nation  owes  a  debt  of  gratitude  it  can 
never  pay,  except,  perhaps,  by  perpetuating  his  name  from 
generation  to  generation,  thus  teaching  its  great  grandchild- 
ren to  think  and  speak  with  reverence  the  name  of  a  man 
whose  virtues  and  patriotism  bestowed  upon  it  the  inestimable 
boon  of  conditions  in  conformity  with  love,  justice  and  hu- 
manity." 

Those  present  tell  us  that  they  shall  never  forget  the 
enthusiasm  created  bv  these  words.  The  whole  assembly  rose 
in  a  body,  and  before  Richard  could  help  himself,  in  fact  before 
he  was  even  aware  of  the  intention,  stalwart  men  had  raised 
him  to  their  shoulders,  thus  showing  him  against  his  will  to 
the  delegates  and  the  thousands  of  spectators  gathered  in  the 
galleries.  The  applause  broke  forth  with  double  vigor,  and 
only  after  the  people  had  shouted  themselves  hoarse  and  ex- 
hausted their  strength,  were  the  hurrahs  allowed  to  die  away. 
When  order  was  restored  the    motion  was  put,  and  our  friend 


388  EITHER,  OR. 

elected  unanimously  to  the  highest  place  of  honor  at  the  dis- 
posal of  the  convention.  Richard  took  the  chair,  and  as  soon 
as  the  noise  of  approbation  had  subsided,  he  said  in  his  sim- 
ple and  yet  eloquent  way : 

"Fellow  Citizens:— I  do  not  know  whether  I  ought  to 
thank  you  for  this  great  honor,  for  you  have  exposed  me  to 
the  greatest  temptation  of  my  life.  The  gentleman  seconding 
my  nomination  was  kind  enough  to  attribute  to  your  humble 
servant  the  virtue  of  moderation.  But  only  the  future  can 
and  will  tell,  whether  it  is  strong  enough  to  endure  the  strain 
to  which  your  kindness  has  now  subjected  it.  I  need  not  tell 
you  that  it  is  my  sincere  and  honest  intention  to  discharge  the 
duties  of  my  new  position  with  zeal  and  impartiality ;  but,  if  I 
fail;  if  the  fiery  ordeal  through  which  you  make  me  pass  should 
find  me  wanting ;  if  the  dizzy  height  to  which  you  have 
raised  me,  should  disturb  the  balance  oi  my  mind,  remember, 
that  it  was  you  that  exposed  me  to  temptation,  and  accord  me 
that  compassion  due  to  the  reluctant  and  unintentional  sinner. 
With  this  provision,  I  thank  you  most  heartily  for  the  great 
honor  you  have  bestowed  upon  me,  and  trust  sincerely  that 
our  labors  will  result  in  the  real  and  permanent  good  of  our 
common  country." 

After  the  permanent  organization  of  the  convention  had 
been  affected,  a  committee  of  nine  was  appointed  to  draw  up 
such  changes  and  revisions  of  the  old  constitution,  as  in  their 
opinion  were  timely  and  necessary.  At  the  same  time  this 
committee  was  instructed  to  see  into  the  advisability  and  ex- 
pediency of  framing  a  new  constitution,  and  draft  such  an  in- 
strument in  the  rough,  if  their  investigations  should  lead  them 
to  entertain  the  view  of  the  necessity  of  the  change.  Such 
deliberations,  if  not  forseen  and  anticipated,  would  have  re- 
quired months  of  earnest  and  assiduous  labor  ;  but  it  had  been 
anticipated,  and  Richard  and  the  ablest  minds  of  the  brother- 
hood had  prepared  drafts  which  might  now  be  discussed,  and 
either  adopted  or  rejected  by  the  committee.  Nevertheless 
so  radical  were  the  changes  suggested,  and  so  far-reaching 
the  consequences  of  the  innovation,  that  the  committee  con- 


EITHER,  OR.  389 

s timed  fully  a  week,  before  they  announced  their  readiness  to 
report  the  result  of  their  labors  to  the  convention.  The  hall 
was  densely  packed,  when  the  chairman  rapped  on  his  desk 
with  his  gavel,  and  announced  that  the  convention  was  now 
ready  to  receive  the  report  of  the  committee  on  the  revision 
of  the  constitution. 

"Mr.  Chairman"  the  chairman  of  the  committee  then 
said,  rising  to  his  feet :  "Your  committee  has  only  partly 
achieved  the  work  mapped  out  for  it.  The  subject  is  so  vast, 
so  far-reaching  and  important  that  the  greatest  care  and  the 
most  scrupulous  consideration  should  be  given  to  it.  Before 
entering  upon  details,  permit  me  to  state  shortly  and  concisely 
what  your  committee  thinks  on  the  subject,  and  what  it  has 
accomplished.  First,  it  is  the  unanimous  opinion  of  your 
committee  that  the  present  constitution  of  the  United  States 
of  Occidentia  has  outlived  its  usefulness,  and  should  therefore 
be  supplanted  by  a  more  suitable  instrument,  representing 
more  fully  the  advanced  ideas  of  our  age.  The  new  constitu- 
tion, however,  should  be  so  radically  different  from  the  present 
one,  that  your  committee  recommends  an  interim  of  five  years 
before  its  introdnction,  the  old  constitution  to  be  retained 
meanwhile,  but  to  be  revised  in  the  following  manner,  to- wit : 

First.  The  instrument  should  declare  that  Congress 
has  the  right  and  duty  to  frame  laws,  but  not  to  pass  them. 
Such  laws,  when  framed,  should  be  submitted  to  the  vote  of 
the  people,  a  majority  of  all  the  registered  votes  to  be  required 
to  adopt  the  law,  and  a  two-thirds  majority  to  change  the  con- 
stitution. 

Second.  The  suffrage  of  women  should  be  declared  the 
law  of  the  entire  country. 

Third.  The  national  banks  should  be  abolished  and  a 
national  currency  take  the  place  of  gold  and  silver,  the  use  of 
these  metals  being  a  relic  of  the  barbaric  ages,  made  in  the 
interest  of  the  rich.  Provision  should  be  made  to  restrict  the 
issue  of  such  currency  to  so  much  per  head,  the  limit  to  be 
fixed  in  conformity  with  common  sense  and  experience.  The 
banknotes  should  read;    "this  ts,"  not  <lzve promise,  etc? 


39o  EITHER,  OR. 

Fourth.  Attendance  to  school  should  be  made  compul- 
sory, and  extended  to  the  end  of  the  eighteenth  year.  This 
measure  implies  interdiction  of  the  working  of  children  in 
shops,  factories,  and  other  places  of  industrial  pursuits. 

Fifth.  Differences  between  employers  and  employees 
should  be  settled  by  a  conference  equally  made  up  of  both 
parties,  and  in  case  of  continued  variance,  by  a  board  of  um- 
pires elected  by  people  of  the  respective  districts. 

Sixth.  The  instrument  should  contain  the  unequivocal 
declaration  that  the  highways  of  the  nation  are  the  property 
of  the  people,  and  should  be  made  so  wherever  this  is  not  the 
case.  In  other  words,  the  railroads  of  the  land  should  be 
owned  and  managed  by  the  people  at  as  cheap  a  rate  as  the 
incidental  expenses  would  permit. 

Seventh.  In  case  the  owners  of  a  railway  should  refuse 
to  sell,  a  rival  road  should  at  once  be  commenced  and  worked 
at  such  a  low  rate  as  to  compel  a  compliance  to  the  will  of 
t  he  people  011  the  part  of  these  roads. 

Your  committee  has  drafted  these  principles,  and  they 
should,  in  their  opinion,  be  submitted  to  the  convention  and 
be  voted  on  according  to  the  stipulations  of  the  law  passed  by 
Congress  on  the  tenth  day  of  December,  eighteen . 

Next,  Mr.  Chairman,  we  submit  to  you  a  declaration  of 
those  principles,  which,  in  our  opinion,  should  form  the  foun- 
dation of  the  new  constitution.  We  suggest  the  propriety  of 
submitting  them  to  this  convention,  which  will  thus  be  quali- 
fied to  decide  what  further  steps  should  be  taken  in  the  mat- 
ter. Your  committee  suggests  the  propriety  of  creating  a 
commission  of  fifty,  one  from  each  State,  the  same  to  be 
elected  by  the  people  in  the  usual  manner,  and  to  meet  here 
or  in  Patropolis  at  an  early  date,  to  deliberate  on  and  put  into 
the  proper  shape  the  principles  which  I  now  send  to  the 
chair." 

Richard  demanded  of  the  convention  what  he  should  do 
with  the  report,  which,  on  motion,  was  then  adopted.  On 
motion  of  another  delegate  the  articles  of  the  revised  constitu- 
tion were  then  voted  on  one  by  one,  and  all  of  them  passed,  with 


EITHER,  OR.  391 

some  slight  changes  of  words,  and  a  few  amendments  of  no 
importance.  These  measures  occupied  the  entire  time  of  the 
convention  for  that  day,  and  the  body  adjourned,  feeling  that 
a  vital  step  to  progress  had  been  made,  but  that  the  work  still 
in  store  by  far  overshadowed  that  of  the  day.  Only  a  few  of 
the  leaders  had  as  yet  an  idea  of  the  radical  nature  of  the 
changes  of  society  proposed  for  the  new  constitution,  and  it 
was  natural  to  expect  that  some  of  the  delegates  would  be 
startled  by  daring  suggestions  of  the  committee. 

On  the  following  morning  the  galleries  were  more  densely 
packed  than  before,  and  when  the  session  of  the  convention 
was  opened,  and  the  chairman  requested  the  secretary  to  read 
the  paper  offered  by  the  committee  on  the  preceding  day, 
the  house  was  so  still  that  every  word  could  be  distinctly  un- 
derstood in  its  fartherst  corners.     He  read: 

"Your  committee  does  not  repeat  the  suggestions  embod- 
ied in  the  revision  of  the  old  constitution,  but  merely  say  that 
all  of  them  should  reappear  in  the  new  one.  In  addition  we 
offer  the  following : 

First.  The  air,  the  water,  and  the  soil  not  being  of  man's 
making,  should  not  be  owned  individually,  but  be  the  common 
and  inalienable  property  of  the  community  as  a  whole.  We 
suggest,  therefore,  the  propriety  of  declaring  all  the  land  of 
the  country  to  be  the  property  of  the  nation,  not  individually, 
but  collectively,  together  with  all  the  treasures  with  which  a 
bountiful  nature  has  endowed  the  bowels  of  the  earth.  In 
other  words,  coal,  oil,  metals  of  all  kinds,  gas,  and  soforth, 
should  be  as  they  really  are,  the  common  property  of  all. 

Second.  As  we  are  all  born  alike,  that  is,  naked,  helpless, 
and  dependent  upon  the  care  of  others,  we  should  all  be 
treated  alike,  receive  the  same  care,  the  same  education,  and 
be  given  the  same  chances  in  the  pursuit  of  life.  Poverty 
should  be  no  hindrance,  or  rather  there  should  be  no  pov- 
erty, and  in  cases  where  the  death  of  parents  or  their  improvi- 
dence or  ill  health,  hinder  them  from  doing  their  duty  to  their 
offsprings,  the  community  should  take  this  obligation  upon 
itself,  providing  for  both  the  physical   and   mental  welfare  of 


392  EITHER,  OR. 

the  beings   upon    whose   proper   training   the   future  of  the 
country  depends. 

Third.  Having  thus  trained  all  the  young  alike,  the  com- 
munity should  afterwards  remunerate  them  alike,  the  sex  to 
make  no  difference.  The  careful  training,  instead  of  destroy- 
ing the  individuality  of  the  young,  develops  such  individuality 
in  the  highest  degree,  enabling  every  one  to  ascertain  for 
what  they  are  adapted.  Society  should  not  in  the  least 
restrict  the  choice  of  occupation,  but  treat  all  alike,  the 
scholar  and  the  digger  having  received  their  education  from 
the  same  source.  The  nation  having  fostered  and  raised  its 
children,  should  provide  for  them,  by  giving  them  all  employ- 
ment. 

Society,  in  a  state  of  civilization,  resembles  a  complica- 
ted machine,  which  cannot  work  or  accomplish  its  purpose 
without  the  activity  of  every  individual  part.  In  other  words, 
every  member  of  society  must  ivork  and  do  its  full  duty  to  achieve 
harmonious  result.  This  axiom  implies  the  obligation  of 
every  member  of  such  society  to  work,  that  is,  do  his  full  and 
proper  share  of  labor  necessary  to  keep  it  in  a  healthy  con- 
dition. In  fact,  the  very  duty  of  society  to  furnish  each  mem- 
ber the  means  of  a  comfortable  existence,  implies  an  equal 
obligation  on  the  part  of  the  member,  to  do  the  work  chosen. 
There  are  two  parties  that  have  hitherto  shirked  this  obvious 
obligation:  The  wealthy  and  the  tramp.  Society  as  we  pro- 
pose to  remodel  it,  can  endure  neither  extreme,  and  will  by 
necessity  be  forced  to  extract  from  both  these  extremes  the 
share  of  work  to  be  expected  from  them.  The  equalization 
of^labor  will  naturally  lessen  each  worker's  burden,  and  it  may 
be  justly  expected  that  with  the  help  of  machinery,  the  hours 
of  work  to  be  demanded  of  each  member  of  society  will  fall 
considerably  below  the  eight  hours  now  so  strenuously 
demanded  \>y  the  over-worked  laborers. 

Fourth.  Extremes  are  always  dangerous  and  hurtful. 
Thus,  extreme  wealth  and  extreme  poverty  are  not  only  hurt- 
ful to  society,  but  to  the  parties  individually.  We  therefore 
propose  to  make   them  more   nearly   alike  in  this  respect,  by 


EITHER,  OR.  393 

making  land  the  common  property  of  the  nation.  How  this 
can  be  done  withont  injury  to  the  old,  the  infirm  and  the 
defenseless,  we  leave  to  wisdom  and  discretion  to  determine. 

Fifth.  The  different  classes,  ranks  and  occupations  hav- 
ing thus  melted  into  one  brotherhood,  the  lines  of  States  and 
sections  will  become  not  only  useless  and  superfluous,  but 
even  hurtful,  for  which  reason  we  counsel  the  removal  of  such 
lines,  and  State  governments,  which  would  then  only  form 
costly  and  unmeaning  fixtures  in  the  economy  of  the  nation. 
How  the  affairs  of  the  nation  should  be  managed,  in  fact  all 
the  instigations,  offices  and  appliances  necessary  for  the  good 
and  efficient  government,  a  government  moreover  so  novel  and 
untried  as  the  one  which  we  propose  to  institute,  requires 
more  time  than  your  committee  has  been  able  to  devote  to  so 
important  a  subject,  for  which  reason  we  once  more  suggest 
the  creation  of  such  a  commission  as  our  report  recommends." 

The  readers  will  learn  from  the  imperfect  account  of  the 
proceedings  of  the  convention,  how  difficult  a  task  presented 
itself  to  their  view.  It  is  difficult  to  remodel  old  and  time- 
honored  institutions  into  new  forms,  but  is  much  more  diffi- 
cult to  create  something  out  of  nothing,  to  condense  vague 
theories  into  compact  and  tangible  forms.  To  increase  the 
difficulty,  now  prejudices  entered  their  protest;  now  privileges 
unfair  and  unjustifiable,  but  sanctioned  by  the  rust  of  ages  and 
the  deep  rut  they  had  worn  into  the  highways  of  society, 
uttered  their  wail,  and  appealed  to  the  sympathy  of  the 
convention.  Whole  days  were  spent  in  listening  to  such  pro- 
tests, and  as  many  more  to  show  the  hollowness  of  the  privi- 
leges whose  projected  removal  whirled  up  so  much  dust,  but 
finally  the  preamble  of  the  committee  was  adopted,  and  Con- 
gress petitioned  to  create  the  commission  proposed.  It  had 
remained  in  session  beyond  its  usual  time,  expecting  some 
similar  demand,  and  now  passed  in  its  closing  session  a  bill 
authorizing  an  election,  whose  purpose  was  the  choosing  of  the 
commissioners  in  question.  A  month  later  the  commission 
met  in  Patropolis,  and  worked  assiduously  in  the  good  cause. 
Yet  it  required  fully  three  months  to  perfect  their  labors.  We 


394  EITHER.  OR. 

have  no  time  to  give  their  new  constitution  in  detail,  but  will 
say,  that  it  embodied  the  principles  elucidated,  giving  many- 
details,  which  we  shall  refer  to  in  due  season. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THE   NEW    DAY    IN   ALL  ITS   GLORY. 

It  is  twelve  years  later.  We  have  just  returned  from  a 
trip  to  Occidentia  and  will  report  what  we  saw  and  heard, 
imagining,  perhaps  groundlessly,  that  our  readers  are  anxious 
to  learn  what  has  become  of  our  friends  particularly,  and  the 
people  of  that  great  country  generally. 

We  find  Richard  and  his  estimable  consort  in  the  old  home, 
surrounded  by  four  beautiful,  good  and  intelligent  children. 
The  millions  of  our  hero  have  melted  away,  and  he  depends 
upou  his  labor  for  his  support.  He  has  filled  several  places  of 
trust  and  holds  at  present  a  responsible  position  in  the  inter- 
nal revenue  office  of  Plutopolis.  He  has  not  sought  these 
places,  but  the  places  have  sought  him,  and  he  has  filled  them 
with  so  much  credit  to  himself  and  benefit  to  his  fellow 
citizens,  that  the  people  talk  seriously  of  electing  him  to  the 
highest  position  in  the  gift  of  the  nation,  in  spite  of  his  pro- 
testations. Mrs.  Kean  still  lives  with  the  Woods,'  playing 
kindergarten  with  the  youngsters,  and  braving  wonder  and  in- 
dignation of  Mr.  Chronos. 

Maxwell  and  Elinor  live  near  by,  also  blessed  by  several 
offsprings  which  share  the  love  and  solicitude  ot  Mrs.  Kean 
with  the  Woods'.  Mrs.  Cheatham  abandoned  the  great  man- 
sion on  Palace  street  on  the  death  of  Mr.  Cheatham  which  oc- 
curred about  five  years  ago.  He  had  lost  the  sight  of  his 
remaining  eye,  and  taken  to  excessive  drinking  to  drown  the 
unpleasant  memories  of  the  past,  and  the  reflections  connected 
therewith.  In  one  of  the  drunken  spells  which  had  at  last 
become  daily  occurrences,  he  fell  over  the  balustrade  of  a  bal- 
cony and  dashed  out   his  brains   on  the  pavement  below,  un- 


EITHER,  OR.  395 

regretted  and  unmourned,  a  sad  illustration  of  the  vanity  of  a 
success  based  upon  greed,  malice  and  selfishness. 

General  Runwell  and  Bertha  prospered  deservedly,  the 
General  having  recognized  in  season  that  true  happiness  is 
coupled  with  honesty  and  simplicity,  and  that  a  greatness  re- 
sulting from  usurpation  and  disregard  of  the  rights  of  a  free 
people,  is  like  a  palace  built  on  the  crater  of  a  volcano,  or  the 
sword  of  Damocles  suspended  over  the  owner's  head  by  a 
thread.  Professor  Andersen  lives  with  them,  making  expe- 
riments for  the  little  Runwells,  and  lecturing  occasionally  to 
his  big  children,  the  people,  in  spite  of  his  eighty  years.  He 
says  he  is  determined  to  become  a  centenarian. 

Gottlieb  and  Sophie  are  still  thriving,  dispensing  pure 
pepper  and  other  spices  to  their  patrons,  and  aided  by  a  num- 
ber of  little  Grads,  which  deserve  their  patronyms,  being 
straight  in  body  and  soul.  Jim  Murphy  still  stirs  the  coal 
under  the  boiler  of  Dennis  Court  and  delights  in  telling  the 
young  Pats  of  the  neighborhood  the  story  of  the  Tinker  and 
the  trying  scenes  of  the  Crisis. 

The  Duncans  still  live  in  Lakopolis,  Duncan  superintend- 
ing the  gunshop  given  him  in  fee  simple  by  his  friend  Dick. 
He  also  stands  high  in  the  estimation  of  the  people,  who  have 
entrusted  him  repeatedly  with  the  execution  of  important 
public  functions. 

Now,  as  to  the  condition  of  the  social  and  political  con- 
dition of  Occidentia,  we  can  do  nothing  better  than  accom- 
pany Richard  on  a  tour  of  inspection,  which  he  undertook  at 
the  request  of  the  President  and  in  behalf  of  a  foreign  com- 
missioner, sent  by  his  government  to  view  the  condition  of  a 
country  so  highly  prosperous  as  to  attract  the  attention  and 
excite  the  envy  and  admiration  of  all  civilized  nations.  He 
brought  credentials  from  his  government  to  the  President  of 
Occidentia,  who  thought  he  could  do  nothing  better  than 
recommend  him  to  the  care  of  the  man  to  whom  this  state  of 
prosperity  was  due,  more  truly  due  than  to  any  other  mortal. 
The  President,  of  course,  had  no  authority  to  enforce  any  de- 
mand upon  the  time  and  complaisance  of  our  friend,  and  there- 


396  EITHER,  OR. 

fore  clothed  his  commission  in  the  form  of  a  civil  request, 
knowing, well  that  Richard  Woods  would  comply  if  his  duties 
would  permit.  He  managed  to  disengage  himself  for  a 
moment  or  two,  and  the  couple  started  on  a  tour  so  full  of  the 
liveliest  interest  to  the  commissioner,  that  this  individual  fell 
from  one  excitement  into  another,  never  really  recovering  his 
equipoise  until  he  returned  to  Plutopolis.  We  would  like 
very  much  to  join  them,  but  as  deadheads  are  no  longer 
tolerated  in  Occidentia,  we  must  confine  ourselves  to  the 
recording  of  such  changes  as  illustrate  most  strikingly  the 
great  changes  the  country  has  undergone.  Let  us  begin 
with  Plutopolis.  The  commissioner,  true  to  his  duties  as  in- 
vestigator, asked  numerous  questions,  which  Richard 
answered  promptly  and  satisfactorily,  a  circumstance  greatly 
facilitating  our  task,  as  we  have  only  to  chronicle  their  con- 
versation to  satisfy  our  readers. 

"I  see  but  very  few  banks,"  asked  the  commissioner — 
whom  we  shall,  call  by  his  family  name,  Falk,  for  shortness — 
"How  do  }'OU  account  for  this  singular  phenomenon?" 

"There  is  no  need  for  more,  as  they  are  only  used  for  de- 
posits. .  Our  constitution  does  not  exactly  forbid  interest,  but 
a  creditor  cannot  collect  over  three  per  cent.  In  my  opinion 
the  principle  that  money  can  earn  money  is  a  damnable  one." 

"And  why,  Mr.  Woods?  "  the  other  asked,  with  consider- 
able surprise. 

"Because  it  is  labor  which  earns  monev,  and  labor  alone 
is  therefore  entitled  to  such  compensation." 

"That  principle  would  reduce  many  a  family  to  beg- 
gery." 

"You  mean  it  would  compel  many  an  idler  to  work,  in 
other  words  to  fullfill  obligations  he  owes  society.  That  is 
undoubtedly  the  effect  its  adoption  would  have,  and  a  very 
salutary  one  it  would  certainly  prove,  not  only  to  society,  but 
also  and  chiefly  to  the  idlers  themselves." 

"But  what  do  you  do  with  all  your  idle  capital?  There 
must  be  a  perfect  stagnation." 

"It  does   not  appear   that  way..    I  suppose  the  reason  is, 


EITHER,'  OR.  397 

that  it  has  been  invested  in  factories  of  every  description. 
Our  people  are  so  prosperous,  you  see,  that  they  purchase 
three  times  the  quantity  of  goods  of  every  description,  thus 
preventing  a  glut  in  the  market  and  panics  resulting  there- 
from." 

"Yes,  everything  seems  to  work  very  smoothly,  but  don't 
you  meet  with  an  occasional  hitch?" 

"Of  course  we  do.  Human  nature  is  far  from  perfect,  and 
human  institutions  share  this  imperfection.  We  are  experi- 
menting, and  when  we  discover  a  flaw  in  the  machinery,  we 
are  sincere  enough  to  call  it  a  flaw  and  to  correct  it.  Several 
amendments  to  our  constitution  have  thus  originated.  ,Here 
we  are  at  the  Custom  House.  '  Do  you  wish  to  inspect  it?  " 

"No.  I  have  a  tolerably  clear  idea  of  the  nature  of  such 
places;  still  I  would  like  to  ask  a  question  or  two:  You  have 
no  longer  a  prohibitory  tariff,  have  you?" 

"We  have  not.  Our  people  have  grown  in.  intelligence, 
which,  in  turn  has  made  them  more  patriotic,  inducing  them 
to  patronize  home  industry  in  preference  to  that  of  foreign 
nations." 

"A  very  convenient  patriotism,"  Falk  replied  with  a 
smile.  "From  what  I  see,  your  fabrics  and  manufactures  are 
without  exception  superior  to  those  I  saw  in  Europe.  If  this 
were  otherwise ;  if  your  people  could  buy  better  goods  at 
cheaper  prices  abroad,  do  you  think  that  their  patriotism 
would  stand  the  test?" 

"Probably  not.  In  fact,  it  is  my  maxim,  and,  unless  I 
err,  really  the  maxim  of  our  institutions,  to  make  rectitude 
easy,  and  corruption  hard.  Measures  based  upon  injustice  or 
unfairness  are  sure  to  fall  sooner  or  later." 

"Still  you  trade  considerably  with  the  Old  World?" 

"Of  course  we  do.  There  are  things  which  it  can  make 
better  and  cheaper  than  we,  and  such  things  we  purchase  from 
them,  endeavoring  to  exchange  them  for  products  which  we, 
in  turn,  can  make  better  and  cheaper.  Thus  we  buy  tea  from 
China,  coffee  from  the  Tropics,  silks  from  France,  and  leather 


398  EITHER.OR. 

from   Russia,  managing   like   prudent  housekeepers,  to  keep 
the  balance  of  trade  pretty  even—" 

"I  see.  Well  give  me  an  Occidentian  for  smartness.  He 
beats  the  Yankee  all  hollow." 

Richard  laughed  and  acknowledged  the  compliment  by  a 
bow. 

"I  know  we  are  smart,  that  is,  shrewd  in  driving  a  bargain, 
hut  we  are  not  half  as  smart  as  we  were  ten  years  ago.  In- 
telligence has  taken  the  place  of  our  former  smartness,  and 
that  is  well,  for  smartness  is  an  animal  trait  peculiar  to  the  fox 
and  opossom,  both  of  them  animals  unworthy  of  imitation." 

"Your  schools,  they  say,  are  excellent." 

"They  are,  and  their  excellence  begins  to  tell.  It  is  now 
ten  years  since  the  frequeutation  of  schools  to  the  end  of 
eighteen  was  made  compulsory,  and  they  are  turning  out  a  set 
of  youths  of  both  sexes  marked  by  greater  intelligence  and 
knowledge,  as  well  as  greater  physical  strength." 

"How  do  you  make  that  out?  I  have  always  thought 
that  long  and  assiduous  study  would  impair  the  body  instead 
of  strengthening  it." 

"So  it  will,  if  injudiciously  applied.  With  us  the  train- 
ing of  the  mind  and  that  of  the  body  go  hand  in  hand,  that  is 
calisthenics  and  the  gymnasium  are  coupled  with  every  school 
nor  do  we  allow  thejperiod  of  daily  studv  and  recitation  to  ex- 
ceed six  hours.  In  addition  to  this,  the  children  of  both 
sexes  are  compelled  to  bathe  daily,  and  learn  to  swim,  in 
suitable  seasons  of  course,  and  all  these  things  combined, 
secure  to  us  the  handsome,  strong,  healthy  and  intelligent 
young  people  you  meet  at  every  step." 

"I  must  confess  that  your  young  people  are  remarkable 
for  beauty.     I  haven't  seen  a  single  cripple,  I  verily  believe." 

At  this  moment  they  were  passing  by  a  large  building 
devoted  to  the  manufactory  of  machinery.  Falk  gazed  upon 
the  busy  scene  with  great  interest,  and  said :  "Is  it  true  that 
your  constitution  forbids  corporations  of  every  kind  ?  " 

"It  is  true." 


EITHER.  OR.  399 

"But  how  is  this  ?  Are  you  not  aware  that  such  combina- 
tions have  produced  all  modern  achievements  ? " 

"They  have,  and  all  modern  evils  and  misery  as  well. 
What  is  the  object  of  such  corporations  ?  The  advancement 
of  our  race  ?  He  must  be  simple  indeed,  who  attributes  to 
them  such  motive.  Their  object  is  to  make  money,  and  in 
order  to  make  money  they  must  necessarily  rob  the  workman 
of  a  portion  of  his  hire.  These  corporations  have  produced 
millionaires  on  one  side,  and  paupers  on  the  other.  We  could 
therefore,  in  justice  to  our  laboring  men,  tolerate  them  no 
longer." 

"And  do  you  not  feel  their  loss  ?  Do  your  individual 
efforts  fill  the  void?  " 

"Our  efforts  are  not  all  individualistic.  Co-operation 
has,  in  many  instances,  taken  the  place  of  corporations,  and  in 
other  instances  the  government,  i.  e.,  the  nation,  takes  their 
place." 

"Co-operation  instead  of  corporation.  Isn't  that  whip- 
ping the  devil  round  the  stump  ?  " 

"Far  from  it,  Mr.  Falk.  A  corporation  is  a  body  politic, 
an  individual,  differing  from  other  individuals  only  in  the 
absence  of  a  heart,  making  the  creature  the  dangerous  beast 
it  really  is.  A  co-operation,  on  the  other  hand,  is  an  assem- 
blage of  individuals  who  work  jointly  to  increase  their 
strength,  but  are  individually  responsible  for  their  actions. 
They  merely  divide  the  result  of  their  labor,  while  the  co- 
operation assumes  not  onl}-  the  management  of  the  concern, 
but  all  its  profits." 

"I  see.  And  your  government  works.  Are  they  not 
open  to  corruption,  Mr.  Woods?" 

"They  are  in  a  measure ;  but  I  have  discovered  this  axiom 
in  all  my  observations.  It  takes  a  corrupt  people,  to  make  a 
corrupt  government.  I  am  happy  and  proud  to  say  that  our 
government  is  as  nearly  pure  as  the  imperfection  of  human 
nature  allows." 

"It  had  not  always  that  reputation,  Mr.  Woods." 

"I  know,  but  our  new  constitution  has  removed  the  cause 


400  EITHER,  OR. 

of  and  inducement  to  corruption,  thereby  removing  corruption 
itself.  Our  Congress  no  longer  makes  our  laws,  but  merely 
frames  them  leaving  the  decision  to  the  people.  This  one 
single  feature  has  laid  on  its  back  the  lobby,  synonym  for  hell, 
a  place  where  all  the  vices  flourished  in  perfection,  a  hothouse 
where  everything  low,  mean  and  despicable  was  bred  and 
nurtured.     This  is  our  courthouse,  Mr.  Falk." 

"Quite  a  small  building  for  such  a  large  city." 
"We  find  it  ample.  As  I  said  before,  our  people  are  far 
from  perfect,  and  I  would  not  wish  you  to  form  the  idea  that 
I  think  them  so.  Still  our  statistics  show  that  crime  has 
shrunk  to  a  compass  insignificant  to  its  former  extent.  Thefts 
for  instance,  have  almost  totally  disappeared  from  the  list." 

"Strange !  I  wish  I  could  say  the  same  thing  for  my 
country.  Can  you  not  give  me  the  receipt  which  has  pro- 
duced such  a  happy  result  ?  " 

"Yes,  it  is  very  simple.  Here  it  is.  Give  everybody 
plenty  and  remunerative  employment,  and  3-011  take  away  the 
inducement  to  theft." 

"There  is  something  in  that"  Falk  replied  musingly. 
"It  contains  the  whole  question  in  a  nut-shell.  My 
mother  used  to  tell  me  that  her  parents  during  their  sojourn 
in  Europe,  did  not  dare  to  leave  the  most  minute  article  ex- 
posed over  night,  without  the  certainty  of  its  disappearance. 
Again  she  lived  among  these  very  same  people  after  they  had 
emigrated  to  this  country,  and,  behold  :  Articles  of  value 
could  remain  exposed  without  anv  danger  of  annexation. 
Now  do  you  think  that  these  people  changed  their  character 
with  their  country  ?  Such  an  assumption  is  too  absurd,  to  be 
entertained  for  a  moment.  The  German  proverb  sa)^s : 
'Opportunity  makes  thieves.'  It  ought  to  be  amended  into 
'necessity  makes  thieves.'  " 

Richard  and  his  friend  frequently  made  use  of  the  electric 
cars  traveling  the  city  in  every  direction. 

Falk  marveled  at  their  fine  equipment,  and  at  the  cheap- 
ness of  the  fare,  which  was  only  one  cent  for  ever}-  half-mile,  and 


EITHER,  OR.  401 

Richard  said  in  explanation :  "The  public  is  sovereign  here, 
and  the  best  only  is  good  enough  for  them.  As  to  the  fare, 
the  lines  are  owned  by  the  public  and  charge  just  enough  to 
keep  up  the  wear  and  tear,  and  pay  the  employees  decent 
wages.  You  will  see  the  same  feature  during  your  rides  on 
our  railways." 

"They,  too,  are  owned  by  the  government,  I  believe?" 
"Or  the  people,  which  here  means  the  same  thing." 
"Did  the  government  purchase  them?" 
"Yes,  at  their  original  cost,  deducting,  of  course,  the  de- 
preciation  produced   by  time   and 'usage.     The  government 
bought  them  with  bonds,  running  fifty  years,  and  bearing  one 
per  cent." 

"Rather  low  interest,  I  should  say.  Did  they  not  ob- 
ject?" 

"Not  the  rank  and  file  of  the  stockholders,  but  the  bosses 
or  kings,  as  we    used  to  call   them.     The  former  in  many  in- 
stances did  not  know  what  a  dividend  means,  the  bosses  gen- 
erally monopolizing  the  cream  of  the  concern.     It  is  therefore 
natural  that  they  yielded  easily  and  with  good  grace." 
"But  the  kings  kicked,  eh?" 
"Viciously,  but  without  hurting  anybody." 
"Did  you  use  compulsory  measures  in  such  instances?  " 
"No,  sir.     The  roads  were  given   three  months  to  accept 
or  reject  the  offer,  and  when  this  time    of  grace  had  expired, 
the  government  commenced   the    construction    of  rival  lines 
with  such  vigor  that  the  bosses  cried  for  mercy.      In  such  in- 
stances  they    were    forced   to    pay    for    the   preparations    I 
alluded  to." 

"Good  for  them,  or  rather  for  so  strong  and  sensible  a 
government." 

In  this  way  they  completed  the  rounds  of  the  city,  and 
then  started  for  the  interior.  Falk  was  greatly  impressed  by 
the  safety,  elegance  and  convenience  of  all  the  equipments 
connected  with  the  railway.  He  marveled  when  Richard  told 
him  that  the  charge  per  mile  for  passengers  amounted  to  only 


402  EITHER,  OR. 

one  cent,  and  that   in  the   far   west,  on  long  distances,  there 
was  a  reduction  from  this  charge. 

"I  do  not  see  how  the -government  can  afford  to  run  the 
trains  at  that  rate." 

"It  does  not  only  afford  it,  but  makes  money.  The  travel 
has  not  quadrupled  since  the  introduction  of  the  law  rates, 
for  that  would  be  underestimating  it  by  far.  I  think  I  can 
safely  state  that  twenty  people  now  travel  for  one  in  olden 
times,  swelling  the  earnings  of  the  roads  to  a  gigantic  sum, 
even  in  the  face  of  the  increased  expenses.  If  I  am  not  mis- 
taken the  government  has  already  redeemed  half  the  bonds 
issued  to  the  stockholders." 

"And  you  say  the  roads  are  managed  with  increased 
safety?" 

"That  is  what  I  stated.  You  see,  the  forces  are  now 
much  greater,  and  as  the  rules  of  our  civil  cervice  are  invaria- 
bly carried  out,  the  men  stand  on  their  good  behavior,  being 
sure  of  work  as  long  as  they  live,  or  at  least  as  long  as  they 
are  able,  to  say  nothing  of  the  severe  penalties  for  any  negli- 
gence connected  with  loss  of  life  or  limb." 

"Then  your  government  does  not  pension  its  employees 
in  case  of  disablement  or  old  age?" 

"No,  sir.  But  we  have  created  several  funds,  managed 
by  the  government,  from  which  pensions  are  paid  to  the  aged 
or  to  widows,  on  payment  of  regular  installments  during  the 
years  of  strength  and  manhood." 

"Ah,  a  kind  of  life  insurance?" 

"Yes,  something  similar,  only  the  rates  are  much  lower 
and  in  conformity  with  equity,  and  safety." 

"Please  explain  to  me  its  leading  features?" 

"With  pleasure,  although  you  will  hardly  find  anything 
strange  or  startling  about  its  provisions.  In  fact  the  only 
thing  startling  about  the  thing  is  that  we  could  so  long  let 
political  influence  and  favoritism  taint  our  public  offices  and 
their  incumbents.  I  think  you  will  find  our  civil  service  and 
its  provisions  much  like  that  of  your  own  country.  Let  me 
start  with  the  graduation  of  our  young  people  from  school.     I 


EITHER.OR.  403 

say  people,  because  you  must  uuderstand  that  our  girls  stand 
the  same  chance  in  all  such  branches,  adapted  to  their  sex  as 
well  as  ours.  You  know  that  the  curriculum  of  our  common 
schools  ends  with  the  eighteenth  year.  The  abiturients,  as 
you  call  them  in  Germany  I  believe,  are  subjected  to  a  very 
rigid  and  thorough  examination,  and  only  those  that  pass  it 
creditably,  are  allowed  to  enter  upon  the  specific  course  which 
•qualifies  them  for  the  profession  they  have  chosen  for  life. 
Those  that  fail,  form  the  hewers  of  wood,  the  handlers  of  the 
pick  and  shovel,  occupations  creating  no  envy  or  discontent, 
because  they  all  had  the  same  chances.  When  the  students 
have  finished  the  specific  course,  they  are  subject  to  a  second 
'examination  as  severe,  but  fair  and  impartial  as  the  first  one, 
and  those  that  have  withstood  this  second  and  last  ordeal  are 
•entered  upon  the  list  of  the  representative  branch  they  have 
chosen,  and  are  then  employed  in  due  rotation  as  vacancies 
occur." 

"Just  as  with  us,  only  we  sometimes  make  exceptions  in 
•cases  of  uncommon  qualifications  or  aptness." 

"So  do  we,  but  such  cases  are  rare,  and  the  favorite  per- 
son must  be  very  capable  indeed  to  justify  such  exception." 

As  they  rolled  through  the  densely  settled  country,  Falk 
expressed  his  surprise  at  its  beauty  as  well  as  the  high  state 
of  cultivation  manifest  everywhere. 

"I  have  been  led  to  expect  something  very  different.  Our 
farmers,  in  talking  of  your  agriculture,  generally  turn  up  their 
noses,  talk  of  "Raubbau,"  and  like  the  Pharisees  of  old,  thank 
the  Lord,  that  they  are  not  like  you  miserable  sinners." 

"They  think  of  our  former  condition,"  replied  Richard 
•with  a  smile.  "Ten  years  ago  the  farms  were  very  large, 
poorly  tilled,  and  run  down.  Now  things  are  very  different. 
I  suppose  you  are  aware  that  we  do  not  own  the  land  here  in 
severalty?" 

"I  heard  so,  and  could  never  understand  how  such  a 
•change  could  be  accomplished   without  a  bloody  revolution." 

"It  Was  not  so  hard  as  you  imagine.  You  must  under- 
stand that  nine-tenths  of  all  the  lands  were  loaded  with  heavy 


4o4  EITHER,  OR. 

mortgages,  mortgages  sometimes  reaching  the  value  of  the 
estate.  Farmers  thus  situated  really  heralded  the  change  as 
a  delivery." 

"I  see.  And  now,  can  they  be  disturbed  in  their  posses- 
sions ? " 

"Not  if  they  pay  their  rent  which  amounts  to  just  two- 
per  cent  of  the  appraised  valuation  of  the  land." 

"Does  that  not  constitute  a  heavy  burden  with  their 
taxes  ?  " 

"It  is  the  only  tax  they  pay,  and  if  they  pay  it,  no  power 
in  the  land  can  dispossess  them." 

"And  can  they  rent  as  much  as  they  please?  " 

"They  cannot.  A  commission  of  experts  has  investigated 
the  matter  and  fixed  the  amount  of  land  one  man  can  till 
thoroughly  and  effectively,  the  law  limiting  the  number  of 
acres  to  such  ability.  This  amount  differs  in  various  sections, 
depending  greatly  upon  the  quality  of  the  soil  and  the  use  to 
which  it  is  put.  In  the  vicinity  of  large  cities  a  gardener  can 
till  or  cultivate  perhaps  no  more  than  ten  acres,  while  the 
sheep  herders  of  the  desert  requires  a  thousand.  Here  in 
Plutonia,  in  Woodland,  and  most  other  eastern  States,  the 
area  has  been  limited  to  eighty  acres,  but  families  consisting- 
of  father  and  several  grown  up  children,  are  favored  as  far  as 
practical  by  allowing  their  allotmeuts  to  be  in  a  body.  In 
Goldland,  where  they  raise  choice  fruit,  twenty  acres  form  the 
limit,  and  so  on." 

"I  understand,  and  the  arrangement  seems  to  be  fair  and 
equitable.  The  results,  at  all  events,  seems  beneficient,  for 
never  before  have  I  seen  fields  so  promising  as  these." 

"Yes,  the  change  has  been  beneficial,  and  no  one  wants 
the  old  conditions  back." 

"Not  even  the  wealthy  owners,  thus  stripped  of  all  their 
wealth  ?  It  was  pretty  tough,  you  must  confess,  to  be  thus 
deprived  of  time  honored  possessions  by  a  decree  or  the  stroke 
of  a  pen." 

"It  was,  perhaps  hard,  but  not  unjust.  Remember,  that 
these  lands  had  been  secured  by  speculations,  unfair  foreclos- 


EITHER,  OR.  405 

tires,  and  many  other  means  unfit  to  bear  close  inspection. 
This  act  of  forfeiture  may  therefore  be  justly  termed  a  late 
act  of  justice." 

''Well,  we  won't  quarrel  about  that.  You  know  we  Euro- 
peans are  a  little  ticklish  on  this  subject." 

"But  how  do  you  manage  with  land  covered  by  towns 
and  villages;"' 

"In  the  same  manner.  No  one  is  allowed  to  hold  more 
lots  than  he  actually  needs." 

"And  pays  rent  for  them?" 

"Exactly." 

"Then  there  must  be  a  great  man}-  vacant  lots  for  which 
there  is  no  demand." 

"You  are  mistaken.  We  encourage  the  building  of 
houses  to  be  tenanted  by  the  owner,  and  you  would  be  amazed 
to  see  the  improvements  traceable  to  this  policy." 

"But  where  do  the  poor  get  the  means  to  build  when  in- 
terest has  been  abolished,  in  other  words,  when  money  can  no 
longer  be  borrowed?" 

"They  get  it  from  the  government.  There  is  a  certain 
board  in  every  place  whose  duty  it  is  to  receive  such  applica- 
tions, and  determine  the  amount  safely  to  be  lent  for  or  rather 
on  the  improvement.  You  can  hardly  call  it  a  loan  either, 
for  the  government  or  the  people  hold  the  property  until  paid 
for." 

"Then,  supposing  cases  ot    fire.     Where  is  the  security?'' 

"The  government  issues  such  policies  itself 

"Ah!  But  what  of  life  insurance?" 

"Life  insurance  is  not  practiced  half  as  much  as  in  olden 
times,  as  the  people  are  more  certain  of  employment,  that  is 
of  competent  livelihood." 

"All  this  is  so  novel  to  me,  that  I  can  hardly  comprehend 
it.     And  you  find  these  innovations  practicable?" 

"Not  only  practicable,  but  highly  salutory  and  beneficial. 
You  say  yourself,  you  see  traces  of  prosperity  all  over  the 
land.  Why  not  be  charitable,  and  attribute  them  to  our  new- 
institutions? " 


406  EITHER,  OR. 

"I  am  inclined  to  do  so,  and  fear  you  would  make  me  a 
convert  if  I  remained  here  any  length  of  time." 

"You  fear?  Is  a  general  prosperity  so  terrible  a  thing,, 
then?" 

"I  beg  your  pardon.  Fear  was  hardly  the  proper  ex- 
pression. It  is  rather  bewilderment  than  fear  I  experience, 
the  bewilderment  of  a  man  who  does  not  know  whether  he  is- 
awake  or  asleep,  who  does  not  know  whether  he  sees  reality 
or  a  mere  mirage.  As  I  said  more  than  once:  I  shall  take 
home  food  for  years  of  thought.  Nor  do  I  doubt  that  the  dajr 
will  come  when  I  wonder  that  all  this  appears  strange  to  me 
and  that  our  own  condition  was  never  considered  normal. 
But  what  is  this  ?  I  see  high  derricks  and  flames  pro- 
truding from  iron  pipes.  Are  we  in  the  oil  fields  of  Wood- 
land?" 

"Exactly." 

"And  who  works  these  wells  now,  the  government?" 

"Even  so.  Our  constitution  declares  all  the  earth  and 
the  contents  of  its  bowels  are  the  common  property  of  man,, 
and  must  therefore  be  worked  in  the  interest  of  all.  The  oil 
is  sold  at  cost,  with  only  enough  of  a  margin  to  pay  the  labor- 
er fair  wages  and  allow  such  repairs  as  time  and  use  will  oc- 
casion." 

"And  you  work  your  coal  mines  on  the  same  prin- 
ciple ?" 

"Our  coal  mines,  our  gas  wells,  our  beds  of  iron,  copper,, 
gold  and  silver." 

"That  must  greatly  cheapen  the  cost  of  living?" 

"I  should  say  so.  I  cannot  state  exactly  what  the  reduc- 
tion amounts  to,  but  careful  investigations  induce  me  to  be- 
lieve that  it  is  fully  twice  as  cheap  to  live  now  as  it  was  ten 
years  ago." 

And  on  they  went,  from  State  to  State,  passing  through 
rich  fields  and  blooming  meadows,  prosperity  written  on  every 
scene. 

"There  is  little  vacant  land  here,  I  notice,"  said  Falk,  as 
they  glided  over  the  prairies  of  Lakonia.      "I  always  thought 


EITHER,  OR.  407 

there  were  large  desolate  tracks  here.  In  reality  I  have  not 
seen  an  eighty  acre  track  without  a  house  and  desirable  im- 
provements." 

"It  was  different  years  ago,  I  assure  you.  Then  the 
houses  were  the  exceptions ;  the  waste,  the  rule.  This  State 
especially  was  cursed  with  rich  foreign  syndicates  owning 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  acres  in  one  body." 

"How  did  you  get  rid  of  them?  I  should  think  their 
dispossessments  would  have  led  to  complications  with  foreign 
powers?" 

"Congress  passed  a  law  requiring  everybody  holding  land 
here,  to  become  citizens.  When  these  parties  failed  to  com- 
ply with  its  requirement,  the  land  was  sold  at  auction  and 
bought  by  the  government,  which  paid  for  it  in  bonds,  bear- 
ing one  per   cent." 

"And  they  accepted  ?  " 

"What  could  they  do?  Countries  don't  go  into  war  on 
account  of  such  trifles,  to  say  nothing  of  the  vanity  of  any 
European  government  to  think  that  it  could  whip  us  in  our 
own  country.  No,  Mr.  Falk,  they  made  a  virtue  of  necessity, 
and  accepted  the  offer  made  them  in  preference  to  losing  all." 

In  this  manner  they  discussed  one  point  after  another,. 
Falk  often  differing  with  Richard  in  the  legality  of  certaiu 
measures,  but  universally  acknowledging  the  happy  effect 
upon  the  people. 

"Tell  me,  Mr.  Woods,"  he  said,  as  they  were  returning  to 
Plutopolis,  "how  did  you  manage  in  regard  to  the  money 
owned  by  your  millionaires.  Did  you  despoil  them  of  that 
also  ?  " 

"No,  Mr.  Falk,  we  did  not  go  to  that  extreme,  but  we 
passed  a  law  which  will  meet  their  case  and  make  them 
harmless." 

"And  this  law  ?  " 

"Provides,  that  no  person  can  leave  to  his  descendants 
anything  excepting  his  personal  effects." 

"And  his  money?  " 

"Reverts  to  the  common   fund.     I  believe  they  made  the 


408  EITHER,  OR. 

provision  that  the  old  and  burdensome  debts  of  the  country, 
contracted  in  the  times  of  levity  and  recklessness,  shall  be 
paid  with  such  moneys.  At  all  events  our  constitution  pro- 
vides that  the  equality  of  its  people  shall  not  be  disturbed  by 
the  privilege  of  stepping  into  dead  men's  shoes,  and  in  my 
estimation  such  a  provision  is  eminently  just,  tair  and  wise. 
But  here  we  are  home,  Mr.  Falk.  With  the  hope  and  wish 
that  you  enjoyed  our  trip,  I  bid  you  a  cordial  farewell." 

We  will  imitate  him  by  saying  a  cordial  farewell  to  our 
readers,  trusting  that  we  have  not  bored  them  too  much,  and 
that  the  submittal  of  these  thoughts  and  suggestions  will  lead 
to  happy  results. 

THE  END. 


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